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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. squash — to crush
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. tear — from crying
  8. drill — the tool
  9. tear — from crying
  10. drill — a practice
  11. bulb — for light
  12. cue — a signal
  13. drill — army training
  14. squash — the sport
  15. wake — a trail
  16. cue — for pool
  17. fine — all right
  18. bulb — for light
  19. tear — to rip
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. cue — a hint
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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