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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. face — to point toward
  7. club — a group
  8. squash — the sport
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. club — for golf
  12. club — for dancing
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bore — to tire
  19. face — to confront
  20. wound — an injury
  21. bore — to drill
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. squash — to crush

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