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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. The tickets are free of ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. lean — thin
  5. wound — an injury
  6. board — to get on
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. squash — the sport
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. squash — to crush
  13. charge — in control
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. charge — electricity
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. board — a committee
  18. wound — an injury
  19. charge — a price
  20. lean — to bend
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. trunk — of a tree

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