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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. kick — in football
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. row — to paddle
  9. object — an aim
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. row — a line
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — a thing
  15. court — of law
  16. march — the month
  17. court — for sport
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. court — of a king
  20. squash — the sport
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. march — music
  23. march — the month
  24. row — a quarrel

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