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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rush — hurry
  4. mug — a cup
  5. vault — a safe
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. mug — a face
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. firm — decided
  10. present — a gift
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — to crush
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mug — to rob
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. present — the time now
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. firm — a company
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. firm — steady
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. present — there
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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