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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rule — government
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. kid — child
  5. track — a song
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. staff — employees
  9. track — to keep track
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. kid — to tease
  13. track — a path
  14. staff — employees
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. can — a tin
  17. firm — decided
  18. staff — a stick
  19. rule — a law
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. squash — the sport
  24. can — to be able to

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