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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. That was a fun ________________.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. prune — to trim
  3. suit — clothes
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. game — wild animals
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. game — a match
  13. object — a thing
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. suit — to fit
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. squash — the sport
  21. board — to get on
  22. suit — in cards
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. board — a committee

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