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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — to be able to
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. game — wild animals
  6. squash — to crush
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. roll — a cake
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. board — to get on
  11. roll — a list
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — the animal
  14. board — a committee
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. date — the fruit
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. can — a tin
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. game — a match
  22. temple — side of the head
  23. squash — the sport
  24. date — on the calendar

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