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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 124 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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. land — ground
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. toast — bread
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. rush — hurry
  10. charge — electricity
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. deal — to handle
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. charge — in control
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. wake — a trail
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. lie — to recline
  19. squash — the sport
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. land — to come down
  22. charge — a price
  23. land — a country
  24. deal — a big deal

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