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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: rest · cap · temple · mug · can · bay · court · date

  1. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mug — a cup
  3. court — of law
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. cap — of ice
  6. rest — a break
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. cap — a lid
  9. rest — what's left
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. mug — a face
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cap — a hat
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. rest — what's left
  18. court — of a king
  19. mug — to rob
  20. can — a tin
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. can — a tin
  23. date — the fruit
  24. court — for sport

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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