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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. present — there
  3. squash — to crush
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. race — a contest
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. present — the time now
  11. charge — a price
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. charge — electricity
  14. race — humankind
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. squash — the sport
  17. present — a gift
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. charge — in control
  20. shower — to wash
  21. shower — rain
  22. race — the arms race
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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