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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. How do you ________________ your surname?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. spell — a short time
  3. spell — magic
  4. mug — a face
  5. spell — letters
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. ball — a great time
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cell — in biology
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. mug — a cup
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rule — a law
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. rule — government
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mug — to rob
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. cell — a phone
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. ball — a dance

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