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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. squash — the sport
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bass — low music
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. chip — to eat
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. chip — for betting
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. fork — in a road
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. deal — to handle

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