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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. last — to go on
  3. last — final
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. squash — to crush
  7. firm — steady
  8. board — to get on
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. wax — for sculpting
  11. firm — decided
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. last — finally
  14. dip — a sauce
  15. wax — to grow
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. squash — the sport
  21. bowl — a dish
  22. board — a committee
  23. firm — a company
  24. dip — to sink

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