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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 116 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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. deal — to handle
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. wax — to grow
  8. board — to get on
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. board — a committee
  12. court — of a king
  13. bass — the fish
  14. bass — low music
  15. court — of law
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. court — for sport
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. squash — to crush

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