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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 thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. row — to paddle
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. squash — the sport
  7. court — of law
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. court — of a king
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. squash — to crush
  12. row — a line
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. court — for 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