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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. object — an aim
  3. tube — the underground
  4. wound — an injury
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. kick — in football
  7. squash — the sport
  8. ground — the earth
  9. can — a tin
  10. object — a thing
  11. tube — a container
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. saw — the tool
  15. object — to protest
  16. saw — the tool
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. ground — crushed
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. wound — an injury
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. ground — a position
  24. kick — with a leg

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