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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. net — for catching
  3. squash — the sport
  4. firm — steady
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. net — in sport
  8. lean — thin
  9. dip — to sink
  10. mug — a cup
  11. season — of the year
  12. firm — decided
  13. squash — to crush
  14. net — after costs
  15. mug — to rob
  16. firm — a company
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. season — in sport
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. lean — to bend
  24. mug — a face

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