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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: nail · cabinet · squash · march · wind · perch · object · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  6. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. object — an aim
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. nail — on a finger
  6. march — music
  7. wind — moving air
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. perch — the fish
  12. object — a thing
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. march — the month
  16. object — to protest
  17. wind — moving air
  18. squash — to crush
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. squash — the sport
  22. march — the month
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. squash — the vegetable

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