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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. Have you settled on a ________________?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. deal — to handle
  7. firm — decided
  8. cue — for pool
  9. suit — in cards
  10. date — the fruit
  11. cue — a hint
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. firm — steady
  14. suit — clothes
  15. squash — to crush
  16. cue — a signal
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. plane — a tool
  20. suit — to fit
  21. firm — a company
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. hide — to keep secret

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