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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. That was ________________ to happen.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. can — a tin
  4. mark — a grade
  5. cue — for pool
  6. bound — obliged
  7. firm — steady
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. bat — for baseball
  11. firm — a company
  12. can — a tin
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. pound — a weight
  15. bound — certain
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. cue — a signal
  19. bat — the animal
  20. mark — a trace
  21. cue — a hint
  22. can — to be able to
  23. squash — the sport
  24. firm — decided

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