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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. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. We are ________________ to obey laws.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. drill — a practice
  4. drill — the tool
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. squash — the sport
  7. band — a ring
  8. bound — tied together
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. cue — a signal
  11. band — a music group
  12. fall — to drop
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. bound — certain
  16. cue — for pool
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. cue — a hint
  20. squash — to crush
  21. fall — to drop
  22. fall — the season
  23. drill — army training
  24. bound — obliged

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