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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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468
Word bank
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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. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — to crush
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. can — a tin
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. bore — to drill
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. fine — high quality
  14. squash — the sport
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. can — a tin
  18. current — electric
  19. bore — to tire
  20. current — of water
  21. current — happening now
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. can — to be able to

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