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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. drill — a practice
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. squash — to crush
  7. drill — army training
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. chair — a leader
  10. cap — a lid
  11. bound — obliged
  12. cap — of ice
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. cap — a hat
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. drill — the tool
  21. foot — a measure
  22. bound — certain
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. bound — tied together

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