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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. object — to protest
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. object — a thing
  5. firm — steady
  6. current — of water
  7. drill — army training
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. object — an aim
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. drill — the tool
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. firm — a company
  17. current — happening now
  18. squash — the sport
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. current — electric
  21. firm — decided
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. drill — a practice

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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