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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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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 · wind · hide · wake · board · coach · foot · cap

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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 — a hat
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. cap — a lid
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wind — moving air
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wind — moving air
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. foot — a measure
  14. board — to get on
  15. cap — of ice
  16. board — a committee
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. wake — a trail
  24. foot — part of the body

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