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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. squash — to crush
  4. object — an aim
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. swing — in golf
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. track — a song
  10. kick — with a leg
  11. saw — the tool
  12. saw — the tool
  13. charge — electricity
  14. charge — a price
  15. swing — music
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. track — to keep track
  18. track — a path
  19. object — to protest
  20. swing — to play on
  21. charge — in control
  22. kick — in football
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. object — a thing

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