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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. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. That was ________________ to happen.
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. current — happening now
  3. bulb — for light
  4. squash — the sport
  5. bound — certain
  6. kid — child
  7. current — of water
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bulb — for light
  10. mine — for digging
  11. bound — obliged
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. mark — a trace
  14. mark — a grade
  15. current — electric
  16. squash — to crush
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. cue — a hint
  20. bound — tied together
  21. cue — a signal
  22. kid — to tease
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mark — to pay attention

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