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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. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. rest — what's left
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — a stone
  7. rock — music
  8. game — wild animals
  9. rest — a break
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. bound — tied together
  12. fine — high quality
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. fine — all right
  15. bound — obliged
  16. squash — the sport
  17. game — a match
  18. rest — what's left
  19. bound — certain
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. scale — size or range
  22. scale — in music
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. plane — a tool

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