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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. mate — a partner
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. march — music
  11. snap — to click
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. march — the month
  14. lean — thin
  15. ball — a great time
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. ball — a dance
  18. bulb — for light
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. mate — a friend
  22. lean — to bend
  23. march — the month
  24. squash — the sport

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