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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  22. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. drill — a practice
  3. club — a group
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. squash — the sport
  6. drill — the tool
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. stem — of a plant
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. saw — the tool
  12. stem — to come from
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. drill — army training
  16. squash — to crush
  17. deal — to handle
  18. saw — the tool
  19. patient — a sick person
  20. club — for dancing
  21. stem — a stem cell
  22. club — for golf
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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