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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. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. file — a line of people
  3. squash — to crush
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. wax — to grow
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. file — a tool
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. cue — for pool
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. board — to get on
  14. file — a document
  15. prune — to trim
  16. squash — the sport
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. cue — a signal
  21. prune — to trim
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. board — a committee
  24. cue — a hint

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