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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. craft — boats
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. craft — a skill
  11. ball — a dance
  12. wound — an injury
  13. wound — an injury
  14. squash — the sport
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. chip — to eat
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. ball — a great time
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. chip — for betting

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