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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. game — a match
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. net — in sport
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. squash — the sport
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. net — after costs
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. net — for catching
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. game — wild animals
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. pass — a permit

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