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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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. scale — in music
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. bulb — for light
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — of law
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. wake — a trail
  16. court — for sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. scale — for weighing
  21. squash — the sport
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. bay — a horse colour

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