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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. squash — to crush
  4. cue — for pool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. ground — crushed
  7. object — an aim
  8. vault — a safe
  9. face — to confront
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. face — part of the head
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. face — to point toward
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. cue — a hint
  19. ground — the earth
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. object — a thing
  22. ground — a position
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. object — to protest

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