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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — to crush
  3. fork — in a road
  4. drill — a practice
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. squash — the sport
  15. drill — the tool
  16. roll — a cake
  17. toast — bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. roll — a list
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. toast — the most admired
  23. drill — army training
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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