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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  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. saw — the tool
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. firm — steady
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. rush — hurry
  8. firm — decided
  9. clip — for paper
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. prune — to trim
  12. rash — a series
  13. clip — to cut
  14. cue — a hint
  15. saw — the tool
  16. prune — to trim
  17. clip — a video
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. squash — the sport
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. rash — hasty
  23. rash — on the skin
  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