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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. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The water is too ________________.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. root — the cause
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. rule — government
  5. mug — to rob
  6. root — of a plant
  7. mug — a cup
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. cold — not warm
  10. mug — a face
  11. deal — to handle
  12. squash — the sport
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. cold — the Cold War
  15. prune — to trim
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. rush — hurry
  18. cold — an illness
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. rule — a law
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. root — of a word
  23. prune — to trim
  24. rush — to hurry

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