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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.

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: tear · bay · dip · suit · scale · ball · coach · cap

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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. tear — from crying
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. tear — to rip
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. dip — to sink
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. suit — to fit
  12. suit — in cards
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. cap — a lid
  17. scale — in music
  18. tear — from crying
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. cap — a hat
  22. ball — a great time
  23. ball — a dance
  24. suit — clothes

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