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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 116 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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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: cap · present · object · trunk · bay · bowl · track · kick

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. present — the time now
  4. track — to keep track
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. track — a path
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. present — there
  13. object — to protest
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. object — an aim
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. present — a gift
  20. cap — of ice
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. kick — in football
  23. object — a thing
  24. track — a song

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