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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  3. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  4. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. cue — a signal
  3. trunk — of a car
  4. vault — an arched ceiling
  5. swing — to play on
  6. vault — a safe
  7. swing — music
  8. mug — a cup
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. cue — for pool
  11. rule — government
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. perch — the fish
  15. squash — the sport
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. swing — in golf
  19. cue — a hint
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. mug — a face
  22. mug — to rob
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. rule — a law

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