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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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. cabinet — ministers
  4. key — for a lock
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. clip — for paper
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. deal — to handle
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. ball — a dance
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. key — in music
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. clip — a video
  21. ball — a great time
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. clip — to cut
  24. key — the most important part

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