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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. rock — music
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. chip — to eat
  5. staff — employees
  6. roll — a list
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. rock — a stone
  9. roll — a cake
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. squash — the sport
  12. staff — a stick
  13. chip — for betting
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. sharp — clever
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. staff — employees
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. coach — a trainer

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