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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. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  16. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bark — a dog's sound
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mug — a cup
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. squash — the sport
  8. rest — a break
  9. bark — to shout
  10. mug — a face
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rock — a stone
  16. bark — of a tree
  17. rock — music
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rest — what's left
  20. club — a group
  21. club — for golf
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. club — for dancing
  24. mug — to rob

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