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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
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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: current · squash · pass · chest · mouse · court · hide · mark

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pass — a permit
  5. current — electric
  6. current — happening now
  7. court — of law
  8. chest — of your body
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. court — for sport
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. squash — the sport
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. current — of water
  16. court — of a king
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mark — a grade
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. chest — of your body
  23. mark — a trace
  24. chest — a box

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