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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.

Make a worksheet

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: leaves · pitcher · arm · clip · fan · stick · content · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. squash — to crush
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. clip — for paper
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. content — the amount
  8. clip — to cut
  9. content — happy
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. clip — a video
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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