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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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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've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. kid — to tease
  4. squash — to crush
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. board — to get on
  10. squash — the sport
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. kid — child
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. board — a committee
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. trunk — of an elephant

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