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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. stock — a soup base
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. net — in sport
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. net — for catching
  9. wound — an injury
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. squash — to crush
  14. stock — goods
  15. stem — a stem cell
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. net — after costs
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stem — to come from
  20. stock — shares
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. squash — the sport
  24. rush — to hurry

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