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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. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. cap — of ice
  4. wound — an injury
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. cap — a lid
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bound — tied together
  10. can — a tin
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. squash — to crush
  14. swing — to play on
  15. wound — an injury
  16. cap — a hat
  17. can — a tin
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. can — to be able to
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. bound — obliged
  22. swing — music
  23. swing — in golf
  24. calf — a young animal

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