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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · wave · pitcher · fine · bay · track · band · bulb

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. bulb — for light
  5. fine — high quality
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. squash — the sport
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bulb — for light
  12. band — a ring
  13. track — a path
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a song
  20. band — a music group
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fine — all right
  24. pitcher — a jug

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