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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Boris sat near the fire ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. firm — steady
  4. firm — decided
  5. firm — a company
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. pit — in a race
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. face — to point toward
  14. squash — the sport
  15. season — in sport
  16. squash — to crush
  17. cue — a hint
  18. face — to confront
  19. face — part of the head
  20. cue — for pool
  21. cue — a signal
  22. branch — a division
  23. season — of the year
  24. pit — a hole

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