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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rash — a series
  4. squash — the sport
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. rash — hasty
  9. roll — a list
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. foot — a measure
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bass — low music
  15. object — an aim
  16. bass — the fish
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. object — a thing
  22. object — to protest
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. roll — a cake

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