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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. pitch — completely
  3. fall — to drop
  4. march — music
  5. deal — to handle
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. march — the month
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the sport
  20. fall — the season
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. march — the month
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. fall — to drop

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