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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. pop — to visit
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. fine — all right
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. squash — to crush
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. cue — a signal
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. pop — music
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. cue — a hint
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. dip — to sink
  19. suit — to fit
  20. dip — to dunk
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. fine — high quality
  23. pop — soda
  24. cue — for pool

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