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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. firm — steady
  3. firm — decided
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. tear — to rip
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. court — of law
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. tear — from crying
  11. cue — for pool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. cue — a hint
  14. court — of a king
  15. squash — to crush
  16. firm — a company
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. board — to get on
  19. tear — from crying
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. board — a committee
  22. cue — a signal
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. court — for sport

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