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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. file — a line of people
  3. rock — a stone
  4. board — a committee
  5. file — a tool
  6. scale — in music
  7. suit — in cards
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. cold — not warm
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. suit — to fit
  12. rock — music
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. cold — an illness
  15. board — to get on
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. bank — of a river
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. file — a document
  22. squash — to crush
  23. scale — size or range
  24. squash — the sport

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