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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. board — to get on
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. net — in sport
  8. board — a committee
  9. snap — to click
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. net — for catching
  13. plane — a tool
  14. squash — to crush
  15. foot — a measure
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. foot — part of the body
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. squash — the sport
  21. rush — hurry
  22. net — after costs
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. rush — a thrill

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