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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. spell — a short time
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. squash — to crush
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. spell — letters
  12. pit — in a race
  13. foot — a measure
  14. pit — a hole
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. wind — moving air
  22. spell — magic
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. wind — moving 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