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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 120 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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. squash — to crush
  3. scale — size or range
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. pass — a permit
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. rock — music
  9. scale — in music
  10. club — for dancing
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. club — for golf
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. club — a group
  17. sharp — clever
  18. squash — the sport
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. chair — a leader
  24. sharp — exactly

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