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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. wake — a trail
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. firm — steady
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. firm — a company
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. squash — to crush
  12. firm — decided
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. saw — the tool
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. saw — the tool
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. squash — the sport
  24. deal — to handle

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