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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 120 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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. squash — to crush
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bear — the animal
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bear — the animal
  12. row — a line
  13. vault — a safe
  14. rest — what's left
  15. track — to keep track
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. track — a song
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. row — to paddle
  23. vault — an arched ceiling
  24. track — a path

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