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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: file · trunk · date · squash · pitcher · deal · bay · dip

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. file — a document
  11. file — a line of people
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. dip — to sink
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. date — the fruit
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. file — a tool

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