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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. board — a committee
  3. deal — to handle
  4. pound — a weight
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bass — low music
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bass — the fish
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. bore — to drill
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. board — to get on
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. squash — the sport

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