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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. spring — the season
  3. squash — to crush
  4. roll — a list
  5. bore — to tire
  6. suit — clothes
  7. spring — of water
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. can — a tin
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. plane — a tool
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. squash — the sport
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. bore — to drill
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. suit — in cards
  21. can — a tin
  22. spring — a coil
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. can — to be able to

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