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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: bay · object · arm · squash · pitcher · wake · mark · spring

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wake — a trail
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. object — an aim
  5. object — a thing
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. mark — a trace
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. spring — the season
  14. object — to protest
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. mark — a grade
  17. spring — of water
  18. squash — to crush
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. spring — a coil
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. squash — the sport

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