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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: squash · bear · file · mouse · board · scale · present · rush

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rush — hurry
  5. file — a line of people
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. file — a document
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. scale — in music
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. bear — the animal
  14. squash — to crush
  15. board — a committee
  16. scale — size or range
  17. present — the time now
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. present — there
  20. present — a gift
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. rush — a thrill

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