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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. ball — a dance
  5. board — to get on
  6. charge — electricity
  7. root — the cause
  8. rash — a series
  9. charge — a price
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. charge — in control
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. prune — to trim
  14. board — a committee
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bat — the animal
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. squash — to crush
  20. root — of a plant
  21. ball — a great time
  22. root — of a word
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. squash — the sport

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