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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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. mug — a face
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. mug — a cup
  5. drill — the tool
  6. mug — to rob
  7. staff — a stick
  8. bat — in an idiom
  9. ball — a dance
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. squash — the sport
  13. staff — employees
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bat — the animal
  17. ball — a great time
  18. drill — a practice
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. staff — employees
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. pass — a permit
  24. drill — army training

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