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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. can — a tin
  3. suit — in cards
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. cue — a hint
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. squash — the sport
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. can — to be able to
  12. branch — a division
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. rush — hurry
  17. suit — to fit
  18. suit — clothes
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a leader
  22. cue — a signal
  23. can — a tin
  24. cue — for pool

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