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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. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. clip — for paper
  3. pass — a permit
  4. clip — a video
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. squash — to crush
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bulb — for light
  15. key — the most important part
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. clip — to cut
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. ball — a dance
  21. key — in music
  22. toast — bread
  23. key — for a lock
  24. ball — a great time

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