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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 120 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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. squash — to crush
  4. craft — a skill
  5. key — for a lock
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. key — in music
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. rock — music
  12. firm — a company
  13. craft — boats
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. firm — decided
  16. firm — steady
  17. scale — in music
  18. scale — size or range
  19. rock — a stone
  20. key — the most important part
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. squash — the vegetable

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