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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. row — to paddle
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. last — to go on
  6. mark — a grade
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bulb — for light
  10. last — final
  11. squash — to crush
  12. row — a line
  13. mark — a trace
  14. object — to protest
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. last — finally
  18. ball — a dance
  19. object — an aim
  20. ball — a great time
  21. bulb — for light
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. ball — a round shape

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