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

  1. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. branch — of a tree
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bulb — for light
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bound — obliged
  8. bulb — for light
  9. pop — music
  10. branch — a division
  11. kid — to tease
  12. pop — to visit
  13. bound — certain
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. squash — the sport
  16. pop — soda
  17. bound — tied together
  18. kid — child

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