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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · foot · fine · cap · jam · face · bound · ground

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. cap — a hat
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. face — part of the head
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. ground — the earth
  11. bound — obliged
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. fine — all right
  14. face — to point toward
  15. foot — a measure
  16. ground — a position
  17. bound — certain
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. cap — of ice
  23. face — to confront
  24. ground — crushed

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com