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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. pit — in a race
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. cell — a phone
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rest — what's left
  7. dip — a sauce
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. rest — a break
  11. swing — music
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. swing — in golf
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pit — a hole
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. swing — to play on
  18. root — the cause
  19. dip — to sink
  20. rest — what's left
  21. root — of a plant
  22. cell — in biology
  23. root — of a word
  24. cell — in a prison

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