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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: racket · wind · bark · fan · cap · pass · bay · object

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  24. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. cap — of ice
  3. wind — moving air
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — a hat
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pass — a permit
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. object — an aim
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wind — moving air
  19. object — a thing
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bark — to shout
  22. object — to protest
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. bark — of a tree

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