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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: face · bay · season · stand · calf · cap · game · dip

  1. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — to sink
  2. stand — to bear
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. face — to point toward
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. cap — of ice
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. face — to confront
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. cap — a hat
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. cap — a lid
  16. face — part of the head
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. game — a match
  19. season — in sport
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. season — of the year
  22. game — wild animals
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. calf — a young animal

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