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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 120 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. saw — the tool
  3. squash — the sport
  4. object — an aim
  5. cue — a signal
  6. present — there
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. fork — in a road
  10. present — the time now
  11. cap — a hat
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. cap — a lid
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. cue — for pool
  16. kick — in football
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. object — to protest
  19. cue — a hint
  20. present — a gift
  21. object — a thing
  22. cap — of ice
  23. saw — the tool
  24. fork — to eat with

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