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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. suit — in cards
  3. suit — to fit
  4. land — a country
  5. land — ground
  6. land — to come down
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — in sport
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. wax — to grow
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. net — for catching
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. toast — bread
  24. wax — for sculpting

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