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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ground — crushed
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. tube — the underground
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rush — hurry
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. squash — to crush
  13. stand — to bear
  14. lean — to bend
  15. ball — a dance
  16. ground — a position
  17. tube — a container
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. ground — the earth
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to rest against

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