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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. pit — a hole
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. face — to point toward
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. hand — in cards
  12. squash — the sport
  13. face — part of the head
  14. foot — a measure
  15. face — to confront
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. rush — hurry
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. pit — in a race
  23. hand — help
  24. rush — a thrill

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