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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. wake — a trail
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. can — a tin
  5. pop — to visit
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pit — a hole
  8. pit — in a race
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. can — a tin
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. can — to be able to
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. squash — to crush
  16. wake — to stop sleeping
  17. suit — in cards
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. squash — the sport
  21. suit — clothes
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pop — soda
  24. pop — music

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