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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. When was this ________________ built?
  3. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. temple — a place of worship
  3. plane — a tool
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. ball — a dance
  7. temple — side of the head
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. bore — to tire
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. squash — to crush
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. court — of law
  20. court — for sport
  21. ball — a great time
  22. court — of a king
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. bore — to drill

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