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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. squash — to crush
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. game — a match
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. wind — moving air
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. saw — the tool
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. branch — a division
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. wind — moving air
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. stand — to bear
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. squash — the sport
  24. game — wild animals

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