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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  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 — to crush
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. toast — bread
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. pitch — completely
  11. object — to protest
  12. object — an aim
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. face — part of the head
  16. object — a thing
  17. face — to confront
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. face — to point toward
  21. squash — the sport
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. squash — the vegetable
  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