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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. branch — a division
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. bore — to drill
  8. can — to be able to
  9. can — a tin
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. hand — help
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wake — a trail
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. can — a tin
  18. bore — to tire
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. squash — the sport
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. hand — in cards

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