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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 116 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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. track — to keep track
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. squash — the sport
  8. track — a path
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. tube — a container
  12. key — in music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. track — a song
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. tube — the underground
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — for pool
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cue — a signal

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