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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. object — to protest
  4. rock — music
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. squash — to crush
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. suit — clothes
  9. suit — in cards
  10. rock — a stone
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. pop — music
  13. squash — the sport
  14. chip — to eat
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pop — soda
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. pop — to visit
  20. chip — for betting
  21. object — a thing
  22. suit — to fit
  23. object — an aim
  24. wave — of the sea

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