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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 116 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. mug — a face
  5. squash — to crush
  6. rule — a law
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. mate — a friend
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. plane — a tool
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. deal — to handle
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. mug — a cup
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. mate — to breed
  18. mug — to rob
  19. rule — government
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. squash — the sport

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