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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. can — a tin
  3. pitch — completely
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. chest — of your body
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. can — a tin
  11. ground — a position
  12. ground — crushed
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. chest — of your body
  15. rest — a break
  16. can — to be able to
  17. ground — the earth
  18. rest — what's left
  19. plane — a tool
  20. rest — what's left
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. chest — a box
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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