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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. firm — a company
  6. wound — an injury
  7. track — to keep track
  8. firm — steady
  9. mug — a face
  10. bore — to tire
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. rule — a law
  13. stem — to come from
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. squash — to crush
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bore — to drill
  18. wound — an injury
  19. firm — decided
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. track — a path
  22. mug — to rob
  23. rule — government
  24. track — a song

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