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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. kick — with a leg
  3. rest — what's left
  4. staff — a stick
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. kick — in football
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. drill — army training
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. drill — a practice
  14. rest — a break
  15. drill — the tool
  16. stand — to bear
  17. rest — what's left
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. staff — employees
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. squash — the sport
  23. staff — employees
  24. stand — for spectators

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