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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 chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — to rule out
  2. spell — a short time
  3. rule — a law
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. spell — magic
  6. row — to paddle
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. squash — the sport
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. wax — to grow
  12. rule — government
  13. squash — to crush
  14. row — a line
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. track — a path
  17. spell — letters
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. track — a song
  21. track — to keep track
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. firm — decided

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