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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 116 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. band — a music group
  4. row — to paddle
  5. squash — the sport
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. squash — to crush
  8. scale — size or range
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. scale — in music
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. band — a ring
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. row — a line
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. row — a quarrel

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