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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. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. dip — to sink
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. cue — for pool
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pass — a permit
  7. fork — in a road
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. rock — music
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. cell — in biology
  19. rock — a stone
  20. cell — a phone
  21. squash — the sport
  22. cue — a hint
  23. cue — a signal
  24. pass — to succeed

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