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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 120 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 ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bound — obliged
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. rash — hasty
  7. bound — certain
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. scale — size or range
  10. rest — a break
  11. bound — tied together
  12. scale — in music
  13. squash — the sport
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. stand — to bear
  19. rash — a series
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wax — to grow
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. wax — in the ear

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