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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I've got to change the light ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bulb — for light
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bark — to shout
  10. dip — to sink
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. scale — in music
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. bark — a dog's sound
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. bulb — for light
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bowl — a football final

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