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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.

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: stick · firm · scale · rock · wound · fan · squash · bay

  1. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. wound — an injury
  8. firm — decided
  9. squash — the sport
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. rock — music
  13. scale — in music
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. squash — to crush
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. scale — size or range
  18. rock — a stone
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. firm — steady
  22. firm — a company
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. wound — an injury

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