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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 120 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: arm · patient · bay · stand · kid · cap · suit · wake

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. stand — to bear
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. suit — in cards
  15. kid — to tease
  16. kid — child
  17. suit — to fit
  18. cap — a hat
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. suit — clothes
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. cap — a lid
  24. wake — before a funeral

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