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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. squash — to crush
  10. ball — a dance
  11. bound — tied together
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. ball — a great time
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — to sink

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