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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. That was a fun ________________.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. game — a match
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. suit — clothes
  6. rash — a series
  7. wind — moving air
  8. squash — to crush
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. suit — in cards
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. squash — the sport
  14. rash — hasty
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. game — wild animals
  18. wake — a trail
  19. game — a kind of play
  20. pass — a permit
  21. wake — before a funeral
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. bulb — for light
  24. suit — to fit

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