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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: squash · rock · firm · ball · saw · stick · deal · root

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. firm — steady
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. root — of a plant
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. deal — to handle
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rock — music
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. root — of a word
  13. ball — a dance
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. saw — the tool
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. saw — the tool
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. firm — a company
  21. root — the cause
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. firm — decided
  24. rock — a stone

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