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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. rock — a stone
  5. kick — in football
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bank — for money
  8. squash — the sport
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. fall — to drop
  12. pass — a permit
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. fall — the season
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bank — for money
  17. rock — music
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — money
  20. rush — hurry
  21. fall — to drop
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. bank — of a river

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