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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — to crush
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. mate — a partner
  7. mate — a friend
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. firm — a company
  10. roll — a list
  11. bulb — for light
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. fine — all right
  14. squash — the sport
  15. roll — a cake
  16. mate — to breed
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. firm — steady
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. bulb — for light
  23. firm — decided
  24. fine — high quality

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