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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. rock — a stone
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. chip — for betting
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. file — a document
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mug — a face
  12. file — a tool
  13. prune — to trim
  14. prune — to trim
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. mug — a cup
  21. file — a line of people
  22. mug — to rob
  23. rock — music
  24. chip — in a computer

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