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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. craft — a skill
  7. squash — the sport
  8. ball — a great time
  9. craft — boats
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. drill — a practice
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. ball — a dance
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. drill — army training
  17. patient — calm and waiting
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. drill — the tool
  22. rest — what's left
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rest — what's left

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