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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. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. cue — a signal
  3. fine — all right
  4. rule — government
  5. game — a match
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. cue — for pool
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. ball — a dance
  10. game — wild animals
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. rock — music
  13. rock — a stone
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. kid — child
  16. fine — high quality
  17. kid — to tease
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. squash — the sport
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. cue — a hint
  23. rule — a law
  24. ball — a great time

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