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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. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. vault — a safe
  6. bass — low music
  7. rule — government
  8. bass — the fish
  9. mine — for digging
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. rule — a law
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. wax — to grow
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. squash — the sport

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