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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. craft — a skill
  5. plane — a tool
  6. craft — boats
  7. snap — to click
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. squash — to crush
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. face — to point toward
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. face — to confront
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. squash — the sport
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. face — part of the head

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