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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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. foot — the bottom
  4. tube — a container
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. branch — a division
  8. content — the amount
  9. press — to push
  10. bank — for money
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. bank — for money
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. bank — of a river
  16. deal — to handle
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. press — a publisher
  19. squash — the sport
  20. foot — a measure
  21. content — happy
  22. tube — the underground
  23. press — newspapers
  24. deal — an agreement

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