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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  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. fan — a supporter
  2. shower — rain
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. squash — to crush
  8. firm — steady
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. squash — the sport
  12. firm — a company
  13. shower — to wash
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. cold — not warm
  16. key — for a lock
  17. cold — an illness
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. key — in music
  20. bulb — for light
  21. firm — decided
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. key — the most important part
  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