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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.

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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: can · hide · mark · bay · coach · foot · squash · wind

  1. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. can — a tin
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. squash — to crush
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. wind — moving air
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. foot — a measure
  16. can — a tin
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. squash — the sport
  19. can — to be able to
  20. mark — a grade
  21. mark — a trace
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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