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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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Word bank
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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 · track · bay · patient · foot · hide · suit · board

  1. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. track — a song
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. board — a committee
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. suit — to fit
  10. cap — a hat
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. board — to get on
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. cap — of ice
  16. foot — a measure
  17. track — to keep track
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. cap — a lid

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