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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. squash — to crush
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. prune — to trim
  5. squash — the sport
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. tube — a container
  8. foot — a measure
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — clothes
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — in a road
  13. pound — a weight
  14. pound — to hit hard
  15. prune — to trim
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. suit — to fit
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. squash — the vegetable

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