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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 polar ice ________________ is melting.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. cap — of ice
  3. root — of a word
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. cap — a lid
  6. squash — the sport
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. root — of a plant
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. suit — to fit
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. deal — to handle
  16. suit — clothes
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. suit — in cards
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bound — certain
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. root — the cause
  23. cap — a hat
  24. kick — in football

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