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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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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: fork · squash · cabinet · foot · deal · content · temple · perch

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. content — the amount
  3. squash — to crush
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. squash — the sport
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. perch — the fish
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. deal — to handle
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. fork — in a road
  17. foot — a measure
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. content — happy
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. temple — a place of worship

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