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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. staff — employees
  3. object — an aim
  4. file — a tool
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. file — a document
  8. file — a line of people
  9. prune — to trim
  10. game — a match
  11. game — wild animals
  12. object — a thing
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. object — to protest
  16. prune — to trim
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to sink

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