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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. degree — an amount
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. degree — temperature
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. can — a tin
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. squash — the sport
  12. firm — a company
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bore — to drill
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. bore — to tire
  17. prune — to trim
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. bulb — for light
  21. prune — to trim
  22. degree — from a university
  23. firm — steady
  24. firm — decided

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