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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. squash — to crush
  17. rush — hurry
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. pound — a weight
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. squash — the sport
  24. date — 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