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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. key — for a lock
  6. saw — the tool
  7. squash — to crush
  8. key — the most important part
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. squash — the sport
  13. firm — steady
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — to bear
  18. firm — a company
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — to grow
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. firm — decided
  24. key — in music

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