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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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. pit — a hole
  3. cue — a hint
  4. mate — a friend
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. pit — in a race
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cue — for pool
  18. squash — to crush
  19. mate — a partner
  20. mate — to breed
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. wax — to grow
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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