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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. rest — a break
  3. shower — rain
  4. shower — to wash
  5. squash — the sport
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. file — a line of people
  12. rest — what's left
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. rest — what's left
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. can — a tin
  19. toast — bread
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. file — a document
  22. pitch — completely
  23. file — a tool
  24. can — a tin

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