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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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. land — to come down
  3. mate — a friend
  4. land — ground
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bark — of a tree
  7. squash — the sport
  8. track — a song
  9. mate — to breed
  10. track — a path
  11. bank — of a river
  12. bank — for money
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bank — for money
  16. land — a country
  17. bark — to shout
  18. track — to keep track
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. mate — a partner
  22. squash — to crush
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. fork — in a road

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