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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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. club — for golf
  3. squash — to crush
  4. club — for dancing
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. land — to come down
  7. club — a group
  8. rule — a law
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. squash — the sport
  11. present — there
  12. swing — music
  13. present — a gift
  14. rule — government
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. land — ground
  17. swing — in golf
  18. swing — to play on
  19. land — a country
  20. root — of a word
  21. present — the time now
  22. root — of a plant
  23. root — the cause
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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