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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bulb — for light
  11. field — a subject
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bulb — for light
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. squash — the sport
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. chair — a leader
  20. field — for sport
  21. squash — to crush
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. toast — bread
  24. field — farmland

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