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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. present — a gift
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. land — a country
  5. present — there
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. root — of a plant
  8. root — of a word
  9. squash — to crush
  10. root — the cause
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. squash — the sport
  13. fall — to drop
  14. fall — the season
  15. fall — to drop
  16. land — to come down
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. land — ground
  19. present — the time now
  20. fine — high quality
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. fine — all right
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. safe — out of danger

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