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

Word bank: bay · fine · ruler · stick · cap · coach · squash · bass

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. bass — the fish
  3. squash — the sport
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. fine — high quality
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. cap — a lid
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. cap — of ice
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. cap — a hat
  22. bass — low music
  23. squash — to crush
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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