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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. pit — in a race
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. spell — a short time
  5. pit — a hole
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. tube — a container
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. spell — letters
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. squash — the sport
  12. foot — a measure
  13. rush — hurry
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. spell — magic
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. tube — the underground
  18. suit — in cards
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. suit — clothes
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. foot — part of the body
  24. stand — to bear

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