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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  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 — to crush
  2. squash — the sport
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pop — soda
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pop — to visit
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. pitch — completely
  17. pop — music
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. board — to get on
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. board — a committee
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. hide — animal skin
  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