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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · wake · hand · jam · ruler · firm · squash · pop

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. firm — decided
  3. firm — a company
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pop — to visit
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. wake — a trail
  8. hand — in cards
  9. firm — steady
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pop — music
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. pop — soda
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. hand — help
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. squash — to crush
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. squash — the sport

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