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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. branch — a division
  4. squash — to crush
  5. last — to go on
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. cue — a hint
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. squash — the sport
  14. rush — hurry
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. last — finally
  18. cue — for pool
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. last — final
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. cue — a signal
  24. ruler — a monarch

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