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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. stand — to bear
  3. squash — the sport
  4. suit — in cards
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. coach — pulled by horses
  12. suit — clothes
  13. toast — bread
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. sharp — clever
  21. suit — to fit
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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