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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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. David sat on the ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. swing — in golf
  7. squash — the sport
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. ball — a dance
  12. drill — army training
  13. pop — music
  14. squash — to crush
  15. pop — to visit
  16. drill — the tool
  17. ball — a great time
  18. swing — music
  19. rule — government
  20. drill — a practice
  21. swing — to play on
  22. pop — soda
  23. rule — a law
  24. hide — to keep secret

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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