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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. David sat on the ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — to play on
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. rash — hasty
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. branch — a division
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. swing — music
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. squash — the sport
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. swing — in golf
  17. rash — a series
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. content — the amount
  21. temple — side of the head
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. content — happy

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