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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mate — a friend
  6. squash — the sport
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. object — to protest
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. squash — to crush
  14. wax — to grow
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. object — a thing
  17. object — an aim
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. wax — in the ear
  24. pitcher — a jug

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