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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — to crush
  3. prune — to trim
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. can — a tin
  7. can — to be able to
  8. fork — in a road
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. mug — to rob
  13. mug — a cup
  14. prune — to trim
  15. can — a tin
  16. squash — the sport
  17. chest — of your body
  18. mug — a face
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. deal — to handle
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. chest — of your body
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. chest — a box

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