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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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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: squash · fall · bay · court · pound · march · bear · mate

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. march — the month
  3. pound — a weight
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bear — the animal
  6. mate — to breed
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. squash — to crush
  10. fall — to drop
  11. mate — a partner
  12. march — music
  13. court — of a king
  14. bear — the animal
  15. court — for sport
  16. court — of law
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — the season
  20. mate — a friend
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. march — the month
  24. squash — the vegetable

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