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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ball is in your ________________.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. court — for sport
  5. fall — the season
  6. squash — to crush
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. fall — to drop
  9. bass — low music
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. rock — a stone
  12. fine — high quality
  13. court — of a king
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. squash — the sport
  24. court — of law

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