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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. wound — an injury
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. wound — an injury
  12. pit — a hole
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. deal — to handle
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. squash — the sport
  19. deal — an agreement
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. pit — in a race
  23. pound — a weight
  24. squash — the vegetable

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