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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  15. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. rock — a stone
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wind — moving air
  7. rock — music
  8. rush — hurry
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. squash — the sport
  14. land — a country
  15. pound — to hit hard
  16. squash — to crush
  17. wind — moving air
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pound — a weight
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. land — to come down
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. land — ground

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