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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. squash — to crush
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — a stone
  7. march — the month
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. last — final
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. last — finally
  14. toast — bread
  15. rock — music
  16. branch — a division
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. march — the month
  20. march — music
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — the sport
  24. last — to go on

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