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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. cap — of ice
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. pitch — completely
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. cap — a hat
  17. bore — to drill
  18. squash — to crush
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. rock — a stone
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bore — to tire
  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