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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 116 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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — the sport
  3. current — of water
  4. squash — to crush
  5. ground — the earth
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. rule — government
  8. ground — a position
  9. rash — a series
  10. vault — a safe
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. ground — crushed
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. current — electric
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. mine — for digging
  22. rule — a law
  23. rash — hasty
  24. current — happening now

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