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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.

Make a worksheet

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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  4. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. suit — to fit
  3. degree — an amount
  4. branch — of a bank
  5. land — to come down
  6. charge — electricity
  7. suit — clothes
  8. charge — a price
  9. foot — a measure
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. degree — from a university
  12. pit — a hole
  13. land — a country
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. pit — in a race
  18. squash — to crush
  19. suit — in cards
  20. land — ground
  21. degree — temperature
  22. squash — the sport
  23. branch — a division
  24. charge — in control

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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