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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 120 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. squash — the sport
  4. spell — a short time
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. spell — letters
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mark — a grade
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. swing — in golf
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. tube — a container
  13. squash — to crush
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. spell — magic
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. tube — the underground
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mark — a trace
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — music
  24. nail — for a hammer

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