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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. rest — what's left
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. last — finally
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rash — a series
  8. cue — a hint
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. last — to go on
  12. rash — hasty
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. rest — what's left
  15. squash — to crush
  16. rest — a break
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. mine — for digging
  20. cue — a signal
  21. rash — on the skin
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. cue — for pool
  24. last — final

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