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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. hand — in cards
  4. squash — to crush
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. rest — a break
  9. bear — the animal
  10. firm — steady
  11. craft — a skill
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. roll — a cake
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. rest — what's left
  17. craft — boats
  18. bear — the animal
  19. firm — decided
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. hand — help
  22. firm — a company
  23. rest — what's left
  24. roll — a list

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