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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 120 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: firm · cue · squash · lean · wind · last · pass · bay

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. cue — a hint
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. last — finally
  7. lean — to bend
  8. last — final
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — to crush
  12. wind — moving air
  13. last — to go on
  14. cue — a signal
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. pass — a permit
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. firm — a company
  19. cue — for pool
  20. lean — thin
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. firm — decided
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. wind — moving air

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