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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. mark — a grade
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. deal — to handle
  5. charge — a price
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. toast — bread
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. pitch — completely
  16. mark — a trace
  17. squash — to crush
  18. charge — in control
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. charge — electricity
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. squash — the sport
  24. branch — a division

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