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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  20. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. staff — employees
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. dip — to sink
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. file — a document
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. swing — music
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. last — final
  11. swing — in golf
  12. file — a tool
  13. staff — a stick
  14. staff — employees
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — the tool
  19. last — finally
  20. dip — a sauce
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — to crush
  23. file — a line of people
  24. swing — to play on

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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