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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. craft — boats
  7. bank — of a river
  8. ground — the earth
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. drill — a practice
  12. ground — crushed
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. drill — the tool
  20. ground — a position
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. craft — a skill
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. drill — army training

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