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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 116 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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. lean — thin
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. key — in music
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. squash — the sport
  9. can — a tin
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. scale — in music
  12. squash — to crush
  13. fine — all right
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. lean — to bend
  16. fine — high quality
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. scale — size or range
  19. can — to be able to
  20. key — for a lock
  21. key — the most important part
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. can — a tin
  24. nail — for a hammer

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