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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. He is an ace ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. pitcher — in baseball
  3. bulb — for light
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. cue — a signal
  6. pitch — completely
  7. stock — goods
  8. cue — for pool
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. rule — government
  11. bulb — for light
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. rule — a law
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. stock — shares
  18. squash — the sport
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. cue — a hint
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rule — to rule out

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