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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 116 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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. squash — to crush
  3. scale — in music
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fall — to drop
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. scale — size or range
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. pit — in a race
  18. pit — a hole
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bulb — for light
  22. rock — music
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. fall — the season

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