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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. face — to point toward
  6. craft — boats
  7. face — to confront
  8. fall — to drop
  9. squash — the sport
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. rock — music
  14. chip — to eat
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. craft — a skill
  17. prune — to trim
  18. prune — to trim
  19. chip — for betting
  20. rock — a stone
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. prune — the fruit

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