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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. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. squash — to crush
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. club — a group
  5. ground — a position
  6. club — for golf
  7. bat — for baseball
  8. mate — to breed
  9. toast — bread
  10. mate — a friend
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. firm — a company
  14. firm — decided
  15. rock — music
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bat — the animal
  19. firm — steady
  20. mate — a partner
  21. club — for dancing
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. ground — the earth
  24. squash — the sport

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