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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: present · fine · hand · snap · bay · calf · rest · cap

  1. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. rest — what's left
  4. fine — a penalty
  5. fine — high quality
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. cap — of ice
  8. present — a gift
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. hand — in cards
  13. present — there
  14. rest — a break
  15. cap — a hat
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. rest — what's left
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. snap — to click
  20. cap — a lid
  21. present — the time now
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. fine — all right
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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