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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lean — to bend
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. suit — clothes
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. shower — to wash
  8. squash — the sport
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. suit — to fit
  12. shower — rain
  13. squash — to crush
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. lean — thin
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. kid — to tease
  23. sharp — clever
  24. kid — child

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