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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. squash — the sport
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. firm — a company
  10. firm — decided
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. rest — what's left
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. chip — to eat
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. rest — what's left
  18. tube — a container
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. squash — to crush
  21. chip — for betting
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. firm — steady

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