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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. clip — to cut
  3. squash — the sport
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — to grow
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. bear — the animal
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. chip — to eat
  17. wax — for sculpting
  18. clip — a video
  19. pass — a permit
  20. clip — for paper
  21. chip — for betting
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. bear — the animal
  24. squash — to crush

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