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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. tube — a container
  4. rock — a stone
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. spell — a short time
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. prune — to trim
  13. rock — music
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pass — a permit
  16. squash — to crush
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. squash — the sport
  20. spell — magic
  21. prune — to trim
  22. spell — letters
  23. tube — the underground
  24. prune — the fruit

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