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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. can — a tin
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. squash — to crush
  5. wound — an injury
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. squash — the sport
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. rush — hurry
  10. can — a tin
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. deal — to handle
  13. craft — boats
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. pitch — completely
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. craft — a skill
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. wound — an injury
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. can — to be able to
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bowl — a football final

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