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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. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. squash — the sport
  4. branch — of a tree
  5. firm — decided
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. firm — a company
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. firm — steady
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. tube — the underground
  18. snap — to click
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. branch — a division
  24. tube — a container

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