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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 works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. firm — decided
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. cue — for pool
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. cue — a hint
  9. mate — a friend
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. swing — to play on
  13. mate — a partner
  14. squash — to crush
  15. wake — a trail
  16. swing — in golf
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. firm — steady
  19. swing — music
  20. squash — the sport
  21. rush — hurry
  22. cue — a signal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. mate — to breed

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