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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Where did you ________________ them?
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. club — for dancing
  4. squash — to crush
  5. mug — a cup
  6. club — for golf
  7. deal — to handle
  8. mug — to rob
  9. bulb — for light
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. club — a group
  13. mark — a trace
  14. branch — a division
  15. shower — rain
  16. bulb — for light
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. shower — to wash
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. mug — a face
  24. squash — the sport

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