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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. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — of ice
  2. firm — a company
  3. cue — a hint
  4. lean — to bend
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. track — a path
  7. sharp — clever
  8. cue — a signal
  9. saw — the tool
  10. squash — to crush
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. firm — steady
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. lean — thin
  15. track — to keep track
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. cap — a lid
  19. track — a song
  20. squash — the sport
  21. cap — a hat
  22. saw — the tool
  23. cue — for pool
  24. firm — decided

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