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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 120 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 potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  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. chip — to eat
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. bass — the fish
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. squash — to crush
  7. chip — for betting
  8. prune — to trim
  9. bass — low music
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. rest — what's left
  12. scale — size or range
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. rest — a break
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. scale — in music
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. prune — to trim
  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