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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 116 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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. row — a line
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. row — to paddle
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. band — a music group
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. band — a ring
  14. mug — to rob
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. dip — to sink
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. mug — a face
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mug — a cup
  23. squash — the sport
  24. leaves — lets stay

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