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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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. squash — the sport
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. firm — decided
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. bore — to tire
  7. squash — to crush
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. vault — a safe
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. prune — to trim
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. rush — hurry
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. chip — for betting
  24. bore — to drill

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