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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. ground — a position
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. squash — the sport
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. board — to get on
  7. suit — in cards
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. ground — crushed
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. suit — to fit
  12. squash — to crush
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fine — all right
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. fine — high quality
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. board — a committee
  19. suit — clothes
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. mug — a cup
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. mug — a face
  24. ground — the earth

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