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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.

Words on the sheet
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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — to crush
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. tube — the underground
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. root — the cause
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. vault — a safe
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. tube — a container
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. root — of a plant
  22. root — of a word
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stick — to attach or keep 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