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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. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. squash — the sport
  4. wax — to grow
  5. swing — in golf
  6. firm — steady
  7. stand — to bear
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. wax — in the ear
  10. pass — a permit
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. firm — decided
  14. firm — a company
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — music
  17. tube — a container
  18. tube — the underground
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. net — for catching
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. stand — on your feet

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