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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — to crush
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mug — a cup
  5. track — to keep track
  6. land — to come down
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. last — to go on
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. land — ground
  15. last — finally
  16. track — a song
  17. track — a path
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. land — a country
  21. last — final
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mug — a face
  24. squash — the sport

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