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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: fork · arm · bound · squash · can · pop · fan · bay

  1. My father caught me by the ________________.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  14. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. fork — in a road
  3. bound — obliged
  4. pop — to visit
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. pop — soda
  8. squash — to crush
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. can — a tin
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. arm — a part of something
  15. squash — the sport
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bound — tied together
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bound — certain
  23. pop — music
  24. can — a tin

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