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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. cap — a hat
  4. club — for dancing
  5. game — wild animals
  6. cap — of ice
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. object — an aim
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. fall — to drop
  12. object — a thing
  13. fall — to drop
  14. object — to protest
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for golf
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. squash — the sport
  21. fall — the season
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. game — a match
  24. cap — a lid

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