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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. squash — to crush
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. track — a path
  6. track — a song
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. wound — an injury
  9. track — to keep track
  10. toast — bread
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. wound — an injury
  14. board — to get on
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. squash — the sport
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. board — a committee
  24. chair — a leader

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