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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. chest — of your body
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. squash — the sport
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. chest — of your body
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. chest — a box
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. snap — to click
  19. roll — a list
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. roll — a cake
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. squash — to crush

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