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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. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. current — electric
  6. root — of a word
  7. squash — the sport
  8. current — of water
  9. present — there
  10. current — happening now
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. present — a gift
  13. squash — to crush
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. root — the cause
  17. root — of a plant
  18. kid — to tease
  19. ball — a great time
  20. present — the time now
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. kid — child
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. ball — a dance

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