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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. tube — a container
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. pit — a hole
  7. ball — a great time
  8. squash — to crush
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. pit — in a race
  13. squash — the sport
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. ball — a dance
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. rush — hurry
  21. tube — the underground
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. jam — a tight spot

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