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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 124 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. face — to point toward
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. rock — music
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. foot — a measure
  12. face — part of the head
  13. face — to confront
  14. tube — the underground
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. rock — a stone
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. tube — a container
  22. bear — the animal
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bear — to put up with

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