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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. wax — in the ear
  4. club — a group
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. fine — high quality
  7. squash — the sport
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. club — for golf
  12. rule — government
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. fine — all right
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. rule — a law
  21. club — for dancing
  22. wax — to grow
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. straw — dry grass

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