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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 120 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 had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The water is too ________________.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — soda
  6. cold — the Cold War
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. lie — to recline
  10. bark — to shout
  11. bark — a dog's sound
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. cold — an illness
  14. plane — a tool
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. squash — to crush
  17. cold — not warm
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. squash — the sport
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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