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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. The ________________ market has crashed.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. bore — to drill
  5. squash — the sport
  6. stock — a soup base
  7. firm — steady
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stock — goods
  11. stock — shares
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. club — for golf
  14. firm — decided
  15. firm — a company
  16. club — a group
  17. row — a line
  18. fine — all right
  19. row — to paddle
  20. club — for dancing
  21. fine — high quality
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. squash — to crush

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