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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: chip · leaves · bay · rest · wound · stand · court · cap

  1. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. court — of law
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cap — of ice
  8. wound — an injury
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. rest — what's left
  14. cap — a hat
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. wound — an injury
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — to eat
  21. rest — a break
  22. court — of a king
  23. stand — to bear
  24. court — for sport

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