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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. content — the amount
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. file — a document
  8. content — happy
  9. deal — to handle
  10. file — a tool
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. snap — to click
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. bore — to drill
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. squash — the sport
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. file — a line of people
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bore — to tire
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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