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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. dip — to sink
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a great time
  5. squash — the sport
  6. land — to come down
  7. bore — to drill
  8. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  9. face — to confront
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. bore — to tire
  12. face — to point toward
  13. land — a country
  14. kid — child
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. squash — to crush
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. craft — a skill
  20. land — ground
  21. craft — boats
  22. kid — to tease
  23. face — part of the head
  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