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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. rest — a break
  3. squash — the sport
  4. mark — a grade
  5. net — after costs
  6. mark — a trace
  7. squash — to crush
  8. ground — the earth
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — for light
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — music
  13. rest — what's left
  14. craft — a skill
  15. net — in sport
  16. net — for catching
  17. ground — a position
  18. swing — in golf
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. ground — crushed
  23. rest — what's left
  24. mark — to pay attention

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