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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. ground — the earth
  6. ground — crushed
  7. ground — a position
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. shower — to wash
  11. squash — to crush
  12. chip — for betting
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. shower — rain
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. calf — of the leg
  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