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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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. suit — in cards
  4. charge — electricity
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. wound — an injury
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. charge — in control
  13. squash — to crush
  14. squash — the sport
  15. suit — clothes
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. suit — to fit
  18. scale — size or range
  19. scale — in music
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. wound — an injury
  22. toast — bread
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bowl — a dish

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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