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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. sharp — clever
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — to wash
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. band — a ring
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. band — a music group
  13. shower — a meteor shower
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. craft — a skill
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. squash — to crush
  24. craft — boats

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