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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 116 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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. mate — a partner
  3. scale — in music
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mug — to rob
  6. plane — a tool
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. track — a path
  10. mate — a friend
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. track — a song
  15. band — a music group
  16. mug — a cup
  17. scale — size or range
  18. mate — to breed
  19. track — to keep track
  20. squash — the sport
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. band — a ring
  24. mug — a face

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