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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. scale — in music
  3. rock — a stone
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. squash — the sport
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. mine — for digging
  9. stock — goods
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. suit — in cards
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. squash — to crush
  14. scale — size or range
  15. stock — shares
  16. pound — a weight
  17. bulb — for light
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. rock — music
  23. bulb — for light
  24. mine — belonging to me

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