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

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. mate — a partner
  3. squash — the sport
  4. mate — to breed
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. band — a ring
  9. band — a music group
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rush — to hurry
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. mate — a friend
  18. squash — to crush
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rush — hurry
  21. branch — a division
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. fan — a supporter

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