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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 116 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: game · pit · wave · squash · leaves · pound · bay · tube

  1. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a kind of play
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. tube — a container
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. pound — to hit hard
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. game — a match
  11. pit — in a race
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. pound — a weight
  19. pit — a hole
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. squash — the sport
  23. tube — the underground
  24. leaves — of a tree

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