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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. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. rule — government
  4. rash — a series
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. kick — a thrill
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. saw — the tool
  12. kick — in football
  13. squash — to crush
  14. rule — a law
  15. fine — high quality
  16. craft — boats
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. fine — all right
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. craft — a skill
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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