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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. fine — all right
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. craft — a skill
  7. squash — to crush
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. squash — the sport
  13. mark — a grade
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. roll — a list
  16. craft — boats
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. mark — a trace
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. fine — high quality

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