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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. That was ________________ to happen.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. ground — crushed
  3. bound — certain
  4. bound — obliged
  5. spring — of water
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. ground — a position
  9. bound — tied together
  10. squash — to crush
  11. rule — a law
  12. spring — the season
  13. spring — a coil
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ground — the earth
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. rule — government
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bear — the animal
  24. rule — to rule out

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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