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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. rest — a break
  4. land — to come down
  5. pass — a permit
  6. squash — to crush
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. game — wild animals
  12. last — final
  13. last — finally
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. last — to go on
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. rest — what's left
  18. squash — the sport
  19. land — a country
  20. chip — for betting
  21. game — a match
  22. chip — to eat
  23. pitch — completely
  24. land — ground

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