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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. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. stock — shares
  4. can — a tin
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. swing — in golf
  9. can — a tin
  10. mug — a face
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. kick — in football
  13. swing — music
  14. swing — to play on
  15. stock — goods
  16. can — to be able to
  17. squash — the sport
  18. mug — a cup
  19. plane — a tool
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. mug — to rob
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. plane — an aircraft

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