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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. squash — to crush
  3. track — a song
  4. wound — an injury
  5. bear — the animal
  6. object — a thing
  7. bear — the animal
  8. object — an aim
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. degree — temperature
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. squash — the sport
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. bass — low music
  16. deal — to handle
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. degree — from a university
  19. track — a path
  20. degree — an amount
  21. wound — an injury
  22. object — to protest
  23. bass — the fish
  24. track — to keep track

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