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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. chip — for betting
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. prune — to trim
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. vault — in gymnastics
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. chip — to eat
  15. squash — to crush
  16. stock — shares
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. stock — goods
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. vault — a safe
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. squash — the sport
  24. nail — for a hammer

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