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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 120 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. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. rush — hurry
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. saw — the tool
  7. dip — to sink
  8. squash — the sport
  9. current — electric
  10. track — a song
  11. current — of water
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. rule — government
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. current — happening now
  16. dip — a sauce
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mark — a trace
  19. track — a path
  20. track — to keep track
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. saw — the tool
  24. rule — a law

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