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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
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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: pit · can · drill · fine · deal · bowl · squash · lean

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. pit — a hole
  4. drill — a practice
  5. lean — to bend
  6. squash — the sport
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. can — to be able to
  9. lean — thin
  10. fine — all right
  11. pit — in a race
  12. can — a tin
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. can — a tin
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. drill — the tool
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. fine — high quality
  22. deal — to handle
  23. drill — army training
  24. bowl — a dish

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