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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  10. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. charge — in control
  3. field — for sport
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. mark — a grade
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. field — a subject
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. can — a tin
  13. squash — the sport
  14. charge — electricity
  15. wound — an injury
  16. squash — to crush
  17. can — a tin
  18. charge — a price
  19. wound — an injury
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. field — farmland
  23. can — to be able to
  24. rush — hurry

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