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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. object — an aim
  4. object — to protest
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. club — for golf
  7. squash — the sport
  8. club — a group
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bank — of a river
  13. game — a match
  14. game — wild animals
  15. cap — a hat
  16. game — a kind of play
  17. object — a thing
  18. bank — for money
  19. squash — to crush
  20. club — for dancing
  21. cap — of ice
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bank — for money
  24. cap — a lid

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