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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: foot · bass · mouse · root · nail · chair · wake · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. bass — the fish
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. squash — the sport
  10. root — of a plant
  11. bass — low music
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. chair — a leader
  16. foot — a measure
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. root — the cause
  19. wake — a trail
  20. root — of a word
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. nail — on a finger

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