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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. saw — the tool
  3. rash — hasty
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. staff — a stick
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. object — an aim
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. rash — a series
  13. saw — the tool
  14. rush — hurry
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. object — to protest
  17. object — a thing
  18. squash — the sport
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. chair — a leader
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. chair — a professorship

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