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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. stem — a stem cell
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. cue — a hint
  5. current — happening now
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. pitch — completely
  10. rest — a break
  11. stem — to come from
  12. squash — the sport
  13. rush — hurry
  14. current — of water
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — for pool
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. rest — what's left
  19. current — electric
  20. kid — to tease
  21. rest — what's left
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. kid — child
  24. squash — the vegetable

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