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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. bear — the animal
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. board — to get on
  11. hand — help
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. rush — hurry
  15. hand — in cards
  16. squash — to crush
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bear — the animal
  19. board — a flat piece
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. board — a committee
  22. squash — the sport
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. nail — for a hammer

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