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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. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. spring — the season
  3. face — to confront
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. lean — to bend
  7. face — to point toward
  8. lean — thin
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. face — part of the head
  12. track — a song
  13. track — a path
  14. suit — clothes
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. track — to keep track
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. squash — to crush
  19. suit — to fit
  20. squash — the sport
  21. spring — of water
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. suit — in cards
  24. spring — a coil

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