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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. bulb — for light
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. face — part of the head
  12. date — the fruit
  13. rule — a law
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. mark — a trace
  16. face — to confront
  17. board — a committee
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. board — to get on
  21. rule — government
  22. mark — a grade
  23. foot — a measure
  24. face — to point toward

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