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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. squash — to crush
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. roll — a list
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. face — to confront
  10. rash — hasty
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. face — to point toward
  15. face — part of the head
  16. vault — a safe
  17. roll — a cake
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. rush — hurry
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rash — a series
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. rush — a thrill

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