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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. squash — the sport
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. firm — steady
  5. fork — in a road
  6. vault — a safe
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. rule — a law
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. firm — decided
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. wound — an injury
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. wound — an injury
  18. rule — government
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. firm — a company
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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