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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. swing — to play on
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. squash — the sport
  7. season — in sport
  8. plane — a tool
  9. squash — to crush
  10. swing — music
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. rush — hurry
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. swing — in golf
  15. fall — the season
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. fall — to drop
  18. stock — goods
  19. fall — to drop
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. season — of the year
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. stock — shares

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