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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. I've got to change the light ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. pitch — completely
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. bulb — for light
  5. suit — clothes
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. pitch — a sales talk
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bank — for money
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bank — for money
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. suit — in cards
  18. branch — a division
  19. bulb — for light
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. branch — of a tree
  22. bank — of a river
  23. saw — the tool
  24. pitch — a sports field

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