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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. club — for golf
  7. prune — to trim
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to sink
  11. perch — the fish
  12. club — for dancing
  13. squash — to crush
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. club — a group
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. prune — to trim
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. rush — hurry
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. craft — a skill

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