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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · chair · squash · object · mug · snap · row · fine

  1. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. squash — to crush
  6. row — to paddle
  7. chair — a leader
  8. fine — all right
  9. object — a thing
  10. mug — a cup
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. snap — to click
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. squash — the sport
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. mug — to rob
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — to protest
  20. mug — a face
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. fine — high quality
  24. row — a line

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