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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: pop · bay · cap · jam · lie · mine · mug · bowl

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — soda
  3. pop — to visit
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. cap — of ice
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. mug — a face
  10. mug — a cup
  11. lie — to recline
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. mine — for digging
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. cap — a lid
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mug — to rob
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. cap — a hat
  24. lie — an untruth

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