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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. mug — to rob
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. mug — a cup
  8. spring — a coil
  9. spring — the season
  10. mug — a face
  11. lean — to bend
  12. snap — to click
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. lean — thin
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. last — finally
  17. board — to get on
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the sport
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. spring — of water
  22. board — a committee
  23. last — final
  24. last — to go on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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