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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rash — hasty
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. squash — the sport
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. can — to be able to
  13. wound — past of 'wind'
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. squash — to crush
  16. net — for catching
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. net — in sport
  20. can — a tin
  21. rash — a series
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. net — after costs
  24. can — a tin

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