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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. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. mug — a face
  3. mine — for digging
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bound — obliged
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. ball — a dance
  8. ball — a great time
  9. deal — to handle
  10. cue — a hint
  11. squash — the sport
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. cue — for pool
  14. suit — clothes
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bound — certain
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mug — a cup
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. mug — to rob
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bound — tied together
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. cue — a signal

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