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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. drill — the tool
  5. race — humankind
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. last — finally
  9. last — final
  10. race — the arms race
  11. swing — music
  12. pitch — completely
  13. rash — a series
  14. last — to go on
  15. swing — to play on
  16. swing — in golf
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rash — hasty
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. squash — the sport
  22. drill — army training
  23. race — a contest
  24. bay — a horse colour

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