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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 116 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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. squash — to crush
  5. pit — a hole
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — the sport
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rule — government
  12. cue — a signal
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rule — a law
  18. pit — in a race
  19. mark — a grade
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. mark — a trace
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. cue — for pool

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