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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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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bear — the animal
  7. board — to get on
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. squash — the sport
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. hand — in cards
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bat — the animal
  18. wax — to grow
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. hand — help
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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