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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. This looks like a gunshot ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — to crush
  4. chip — for betting
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. ball — a great time
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. wound — an injury
  12. club — for golf
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. club — for dancing
  15. bear — the animal
  16. deal — to handle
  17. club — a group
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. chip — to eat
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. wound — an injury

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