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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bore — to drill
  3. toast — bread
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. pop — to visit
  8. pop — music
  9. mate — a friend
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. squash — the sport
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. rest — what's left
  14. bore — to tire
  15. mate — to breed
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. mate — a partner
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. pop — soda
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. rest — what's left
  23. mine — for digging
  24. rest — a break

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