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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 116 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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — to crush
  3. board — a committee
  4. root — of a plant
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. current — electric
  7. tube — the underground
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mine — belonging to me
  10. ground — the earth
  11. root — of a word
  12. current — happening now
  13. ground — crushed
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. current — of water
  16. ground — a position
  17. mine — for digging
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. board — to get on
  21. root — the cause
  22. squash — the sport
  23. tube — a container
  24. mine — an explosive

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