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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. We're almost out of ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — soda
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pop — to visit
  5. firm — decided
  6. firm — a company
  7. shower — rain
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. lie — to recline
  10. shower — to wash
  11. can — to be able to
  12. cue — for pool
  13. can — a tin
  14. pop — music
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. firm — steady
  19. squash — the sport
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — a signal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. can — a tin

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