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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. pass — a permit
  3. roll — a cake
  4. mark — a trace
  5. tube — the underground
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. mark — a grade
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. cue — a signal
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bear — the animal
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. chair — a leader
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. squash — the sport
  18. roll — a list
  19. cue — a hint
  20. cue — for pool
  21. tube — a container
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. chair — a professorship

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