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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. date — the fruit
  3. squash — to crush
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. game — a match
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. rule — government
  12. rule — a law
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. deal — to handle
  17. game — wild animals
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. wake — a trail
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. rule — to rule out

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