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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 120 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — the sport
  4. firm — steady
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. can — a tin
  7. content — happy
  8. vault — a safe
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. shower — rain
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. squash — to crush
  14. firm — decided
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. shower — to wash
  18. can — a tin
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. firm — a company
  23. content — the amount
  24. wave — of the sea

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