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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. squash — to crush
  3. spell — letters
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. spell — a short time
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bat — the animal
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wind — moving air
  12. board — to get on
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. suit — to fit
  16. squash — the sport
  17. suit — clothes
  18. board — a committee
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. suit — in cards
  23. spell — magic
  24. prune — to trim

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