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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 120 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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. lean — thin
  3. mate — to breed
  4. suit — in cards
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. kid — to tease
  7. lean — to bend
  8. track — to keep track
  9. suit — clothes
  10. mate — a partner
  11. kid — child
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. track — a path
  15. mate — a friend
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. chair — a leader
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. suit — to fit
  20. squash — the sport
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. track — a song
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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