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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a cake
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bark — to shout
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. land — a country
  8. land — ground
  9. rush — hurry
  10. squash — to crush
  11. bound — tied together
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. bound — certain
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. roll — a list
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. land — to come down
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bound — obliged
  22. craft — a skill
  23. squash — the sport
  24. craft — boats

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