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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 116 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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. swing — in golf
  7. firm — a company
  8. cue — a hint
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. swing — music
  12. firm — steady
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. firm — decided
  16. cue — a signal
  17. mark — a trace
  18. squash — the sport
  19. sharp — clever
  20. cue — for pool
  21. rush — hurry
  22. mark — a grade
  23. sharp — exactly
  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