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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 has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. club — for dancing
  3. can — a tin
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. prune — to trim
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. squash — to crush
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. squash — the sport
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. club — for golf
  15. sharp — clever
  16. prune — to trim
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. can — to be able to
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. can — a tin
  23. club — a group
  24. safe — out of danger

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