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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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468
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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. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. temple — side of the head
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. wound — an injury
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. tube — the underground
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. pound — a weight
  20. wound — an injury
  21. suit — to fit
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. suit — clothes
  24. squash — to crush

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