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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. bore — to drill
  5. squash — the sport
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bear — the animal
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. charge — electricity
  11. perch — the fish
  12. squash — to crush
  13. charge — a price
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bore — to tire
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. charge — in control
  24. nail — for a hammer

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