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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. bound — tied together
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. current — of water
  7. bound — certain
  8. squash — to crush
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. current — electric
  11. season — in sport
  12. lean — to bend
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. tube — the underground
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. current — happening now
  17. lean — thin
  18. tube — a container
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. bound — obliged
  21. season — of the year
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. squash — the sport
  24. mouse — the animal

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