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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. board — a committee
  4. prune — to trim
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. bore — to drill
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. squash — the sport
  12. last — to go on
  13. bore — to tire
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. prune — to trim
  18. kick — in football
  19. squash — to crush
  20. last — finally
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. board — to get on
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. bore — gave birth

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