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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. tube — a container
  4. squash — the sport
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. tube — the underground
  9. ball — a dance
  10. fork — in a road
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. rule — government
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. squash — to crush
  20. ball — a great time
  21. rush — hurry
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. rule — a law

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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