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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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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: bay · lie · cap · court · mark · rash · present · mouse

  1. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  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. mouse — the animal
  2. lie — to recline
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. court — of a king
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. present — the time now
  8. mark — a grade
  9. cap — a hat
  10. present — there
  11. present — a gift
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. cap — of ice
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rash — a series
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. cap — a lid
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. court — of law
  21. rash — hasty
  22. mark — a trace
  23. court — for sport
  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