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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: kick · squash · saw · ruler · cap · bass · bay · cabinet

  1. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. kick — with a leg
  5. squash — to crush
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cap — a hat
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. cap — of ice
  14. cap — a lid
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. saw — the tool
  17. squash — the sport
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. bass — the instrument

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