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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. present — there
  4. content — happy
  5. spell — letters
  6. present — the time now
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. tube — a container
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. bass — low music
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. spell — a short time
  19. content — the amount
  20. spell — magic
  21. tube — the underground
  22. present — a gift
  23. bass — the fish
  24. ruler — for measuring

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