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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. suit — in cards
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. row — to paddle
  6. squash — the sport
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — a container
  9. squash — to crush
  10. suit — clothes
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. charge — in control
  13. firm — steady
  14. row — a line
  15. charge — a price
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. firm — decided
  19. mine — an explosive
  20. mine — for digging
  21. snap — to click
  22. tube — the underground
  23. firm — a company
  24. charge — electricity

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