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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. cold — an illness
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. stand — to bear
  6. squash — to crush
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. date — the fruit
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. patient — calm and waiting
  11. cold — not warm
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. squash — the sport
  23. patient — a sick person
  24. safe — a strongbox

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