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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. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. rule — government
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. squash — the sport
  8. fine — all right
  9. bound — obliged
  10. charge — electricity
  11. fine — high quality
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. charge — a price
  14. rule — a law
  15. swing — music
  16. bound — tied together
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. bound — certain
  20. swing — in golf
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. swing — to play on
  23. charge — in control
  24. vault — a safe

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