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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. She's sitting on a gold ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. bulb — for light
  6. row — a line
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. track — a path
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. scale — in music
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. track — a song
  15. squash — the sport
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. track — to keep track
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. row — to paddle
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. bulb — for light
  23. scale — size or range
  24. mine — for digging

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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