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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · plane · hide · game · bear · rush

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. That was a fun ________________.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. rush — hurry
  4. plane — a tool
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. bear — the animal
  11. game — a match
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. bear — the animal
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. squash — the sport
  18. game — a kind of play

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