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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. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  3. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. branch — of a tree
  3. vault — in gymnastics
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. wax — to grow
  8. hand — in cards
  9. squash — the sport
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. branch — a division
  12. squash — to crush
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. vault — a safe
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. prune — to trim
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. prune — to trim
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. hand — help
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. vault — an arched ceiling

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