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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. deal — to handle
  9. squash — to crush
  10. suit — to fit
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. race — humankind
  13. suit — in cards
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. suit — clothes
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. dip — to sink
  19. race — the arms race
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. race — a contest
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. squash — the sport
  24. dip — a sauce

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