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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. key — in music
  3. row — a line
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. rest — what's left
  6. rest — a break
  7. mug — a face
  8. rash — hasty
  9. row — to paddle
  10. key — for a lock
  11. squash — to crush
  12. pop — soda
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pop — to visit
  16. mug — to rob
  17. pop — music
  18. mug — a cup
  19. rash — a series
  20. saw — the tool
  21. key — the most important part
  22. rest — what's left
  23. saw — the tool
  24. squash — the vegetable

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