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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: staff · foot · bay · mark · squash · hand · ball · bulb

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. hand — in cards
  4. staff — employees
  5. ball — a great time
  6. hand — help
  7. staff — employees
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. mark — a trace
  15. bulb — for light
  16. ball — a dance
  17. staff — a stick
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. mark — a grade
  24. squash — the sport

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