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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. row — a line
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — to crush
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. lean — thin
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. deal — to handle
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bear — the animal
  17. row — to paddle
  18. bear — the animal
  19. lean — to bend
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. squash — the sport
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. vault — a safe

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