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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bass — low music
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. charge — a price
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. squash — to crush
  10. charge — in control
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. bass — the fish
  15. kid — to tease
  16. kid — child
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. charge — electricity
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. mouse — the animal

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