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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. The ________________ took off on time.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. spell — letters
  3. suit — clothes
  4. spell — a short time
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. bulb — for light
  7. squash — the sport
  8. suit — to fit
  9. suit — in cards
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. plane — an aircraft
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bore — to tire
  20. spell — magic
  21. bulb — for light
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. plane — a tool

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