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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — to crush
  3. staff — employees
  4. rush — hurry
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. can — a tin
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. can — a tin
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. staff — employees
  19. shower — to wash
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. shower — rain
  23. toast — bread
  24. shower — a meteor shower

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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