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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 120 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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. bear — the animal
  3. squash — to crush
  4. object — an aim
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bear — the animal
  7. file — a document
  8. firm — decided
  9. object — to protest
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. file — a line of people
  12. firm — steady
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. bore — to drill
  15. file — a tool
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. court — of a king
  18. object — a thing
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bore — to tire
  21. court — of law
  22. court — for sport
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. firm — a company

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