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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. bulb — for light
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pop — music
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. bulb — for light
  10. wake — a trail
  11. pitch — completely
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. pop — soda
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. squash — to crush

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