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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. cue — a hint
  3. squash — the sport
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. firm — steady
  6. present — there
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. cue — for pool
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. prune — to trim
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. present — the time now
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. cue — a signal
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. present — a gift
  20. firm — a company
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. firm — decided
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. prune — to trim

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