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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — to crush
  4. tube — a container
  5. rock — music
  6. mug — a face
  7. wax — to grow
  8. tube — the underground
  9. race — a contest
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. wax — for sculpting
  17. race — the arms race
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a cup
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. race — humankind
  24. rock — to move gently

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