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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 120 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. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to snap out of it
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. fine — high quality
  4. snap — to speak sharply
  5. deal — to handle
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. squash — to crush
  8. club — a group
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. club — for golf
  11. fine — all right
  12. prune — to trim
  13. snap — to click
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. wake — a trail
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. squash — the sport
  19. club — for dancing
  20. board — a committee
  21. board — to get on
  22. prune — to trim
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. board — a flat piece

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