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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. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. prune — to trim
  3. saw — the tool
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — decided
  6. mate — to breed
  7. object — an aim
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. squash — the sport
  10. prune — to trim
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. mate — a friend
  15. firm — a company
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. mate — a partner
  19. saw — the tool
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. fine — high quality
  22. object — a thing
  23. straw — dry grass
  24. object — to protest

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