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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — to crush
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. pitch — completely
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — what's left
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rock — a stone
  10. rule — government
  11. plane — a tool
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. rest — a break
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. rule — a law
  17. scale — in music
  18. deal — to handle
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — music
  24. squash — the sport

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