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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. present — the time now
  3. present — a gift
  4. rule — government
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. degree — an amount
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mark — a trace
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. degree — temperature
  16. mark — a grade
  17. present — there
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. degree — from a university
  20. rule — a law
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bay — a horse colour

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