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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: court · dip · mouse · rush · rock · perch · stem · squash

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. court — of a king
  6. stem — of a plant
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. dip — to sink
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the sport
  11. perch — the fish
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. court — of law
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. rock — music
  16. rush — hurry
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rock — a stone
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. stem — to come from
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. court — for sport

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