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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. content — the amount
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. cue — for pool
  9. cue — a hint
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. cue — a signal
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. squash — to crush
  17. season — in sport
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. content — happy
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. season — of the year

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