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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. object — a thing
  3. can — a tin
  4. can — a tin
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — to crush
  11. toast — bread
  12. branch — a division
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. mine — for digging
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. mate — a partner
  17. object — an aim
  18. game — a match
  19. object — to protest
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. can — to be able to
  22. game — wild animals
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. mate — a friend

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