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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
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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: bay · squash · cap · row · can · roll · fine · straw

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. cap — of ice
  7. fine — high quality
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. row — a line
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. can — a tin
  12. cap — a hat
  13. roll — a cake
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. cap — a lid
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. roll — a list
  20. squash — to crush
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — to be able to
  23. row — to paddle
  24. fine — all right

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