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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. There's no middle ________________.
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. ground — the earth
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. squash — to crush
  5. row — to paddle
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pass — a permit
  9. rock — music
  10. squash — the sport
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. rock — a stone
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. ground — a position
  19. ground — crushed
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. rush — hurry
  22. row — a line
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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