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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. squash — the sport
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. bass — the fish
  6. board — to get on
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. stand — to bear
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — low music
  11. root — of a plant
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. board — a committee
  15. root — the cause
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. squash — to crush
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. root — of a word

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