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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. object — to protest
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. firm — steady
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. squash — to crush
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. snap — to click
  14. squash — the sport
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. object — an aim
  18. object — a thing
  19. scale — size or range
  20. firm — a company
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. scale — in music
  23. firm — decided
  24. fan — to cool the air

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