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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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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: bay · bear · current · swing · squash · wound · present · mate

  1. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. mate — to breed
  3. squash — to crush
  4. present — a gift
  5. current — of water
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. swing — music
  8. mate — a friend
  9. current — happening now
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. present — there
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. swing — to play on
  14. current — electric
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. present — the time now
  18. bear — the animal
  19. bear — the animal
  20. wound — an injury
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. swing — in golf
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mate — a partner

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