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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: stick · squash · pitcher · jam · foot · wound · rule · bay

  1. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. rule — government
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. foot — a measure
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. squash — the sport
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rule — a law
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. wound — an injury
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  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