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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. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. squash — to crush
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. perch — the fish
  6. rash — a series
  7. file — a document
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bass — low music
  11. rash — hasty
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. file — a tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. bass — the fish
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. last — final
  20. foot — a measure
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. last — finally
  23. squash — the sport
  24. last — to go on

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