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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: wind · jam · roll · mark · stand · mug · squash · bay

  1. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. wind — moving air
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. mug — a cup
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. mug — to rob
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. roll — a cake
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. mark — a trace
  15. wind — moving air
  16. squash — the sport
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. mug — a face
  19. stand — to bear
  20. roll — a list
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. squash — to crush
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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