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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
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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: bass · saw · squash · mark · shower · bay · fork · track

  1. She's very handy with a ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. bass — the fish
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. saw — the tool
  7. shower — to wash
  8. squash — to crush
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. mark — a trace
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. track — to keep track
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. fork — in a road
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bass — low music
  20. mark — a grade
  21. track — a song
  22. track — a path
  23. shower — rain
  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