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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. deal — to handle
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. mug — to rob
  10. mug — a face
  11. firm — a company
  12. mug — a cup
  13. firm — decided
  14. drill — a practice
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. drill — the tool
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. drill — army training
  21. prune — to trim
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — to crush
  24. firm — steady

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