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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Did you ________________ the button?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. spell — magic
  3. clip — a video
  4. spell — letters
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. press — newspapers
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. spell — a short time
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. suit — clothes
  12. clip — for paper
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. suit — in cards
  15. clip — to cut
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. suit — to fit
  19. squash — to crush
  20. fork — in a road
  21. squash — the sport
  22. press — a publisher
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. press — to push

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