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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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. We're on a ________________ here.
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. saw — the tool
  4. key — for a lock
  5. key — in music
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. pit — a fruit stone
  11. squash — the sport
  12. roll — on a roll
  13. roll — a list
  14. wave — a sudden rise
  15. saw — the tool
  16. pit — in a race
  17. squash — to crush
  18. roll — a cake
  19. suit — to fit
  20. suit — clothes
  21. key — the most important part
  22. mine — for digging
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. pit — a hole

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