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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rest — what's left
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. current — electric
  8. current — happening now
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. last — finally
  13. ball — a dance
  14. squash — the sport
  15. last — final
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. fork — in a road
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. last — to go on
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. current — of water

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