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

Word bank: deal · mate · squash · cue · pitcher · ground · roll · suit

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. Have you found your soul ________________?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. squash — the sport
  3. ground — the earth
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. deal — to handle
  6. roll — a list
  7. ground — a position
  8. ground — crushed
  9. mate — a friend
  10. suit — to fit
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. mate — a partner
  15. cue — a signal
  16. cue — a hint
  17. suit — in cards
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. cue — for pool
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. mate — to breed
  23. suit — clothes
  24. squash — to crush

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