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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. suit — to fit
  3. spring — of water
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. spring — the season
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. spell — magic
  9. plane — a tool
  10. hand — help
  11. spell — a short time
  12. spell — letters
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — to crush
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bulb — for light
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — in cards
  22. spring — a coil
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. bulb — for light

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