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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  9. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. firm — a company
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. plane — a tool
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. net — after costs
  9. net — in sport
  10. firm — steady
  11. firm — decided
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — the sport
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. perch — the fish
  22. rush — hurry
  23. net — for catching
  24. racket — for tennis

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