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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Have you settled on a ________________?
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The light ________________ burned out.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. dip — to sink
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. squash — to crush
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bulb — for light
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. object — an aim
  17. date — the fruit
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bulb — for light
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. object — to protest
  24. object — a thing

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