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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. hand — in cards
  5. suit — in cards
  6. bound — certain
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. squash — to crush
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. bound — obliged
  11. hand — help
  12. squash — the sport
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. suit — clothes
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. wind — moving air
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. suit — to fit

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