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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. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. spring — a coil
  3. bound — tied together
  4. squash — the sport
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. chair — a leader
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. mark — a grade
  14. spring — of water
  15. pass — a permit
  16. clip — to cut
  17. squash — to crush
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — obliged
  20. clip — a video
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. spring — the season
  23. mark — a trace
  24. clip — for paper

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