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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. squash — to crush
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. bank — for money
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. row — to paddle
  9. row — a line
  10. roll — a cake
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. bank — for money
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. bank — of a river
  16. squash — the sport
  17. shower — rain
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. roll — a list
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. shower — to wash

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