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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.

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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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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: date · bear · bound · roll · squash · track · chip · object

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. Have you settled on a ________________?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. object — a thing
  3. object — to protest
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. bear — the animal
  6. track — a song
  7. date — on the calendar
  8. squash — the sport
  9. roll — a cake
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. chip — for betting
  12. track — a path
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. object — an aim
  15. track — to keep track
  16. bear — the animal
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — certain
  20. bound — obliged
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. date — the fruit
  23. roll — a list
  24. squash — to crush

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