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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 120 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. craft — boats
  3. pop — music
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. pound — for dogs
  8. pound — a weight
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. pop — to visit
  12. squash — the sport
  13. stock — shares
  14. snap — to snap out of it
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. snap — to click
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. stock — goods
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pop — soda
  24. squash — to crush

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