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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 120 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: fan · arm · track · fall · bay · pitcher · wake · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fall — the season
  4. wake — a trail
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. track — a song
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. squash — the sport
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. squash — to crush
  23. track — a path
  24. arm — part of the body

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