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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. suit — to fit
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. suit — in cards
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. lean — thin
  7. chip — for betting
  8. suit — clothes
  9. land — ground
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. chip — to eat
  13. land — a country
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. land — to come down
  18. bore — to tire
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. bore — to drill
  21. toast — bread
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. lean — to bend
  24. squash — to crush

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