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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: kid · plane · rush · squash · ball · bulb · pound · bay

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  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. ball — a round shape
  2. kid — to tease
  3. plane — a tool
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. ball — a great time
  6. pound — a weight
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. kid — child
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. rush — hurry
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. bulb — for light
  22. ball — a dance
  23. squash — the sport
  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