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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. spring — the season
  4. squash — to crush
  5. bank — of a river
  6. spring — of water
  7. present — the time now
  8. lean — to bend
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. bank — for money
  11. present — a gift
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. lean — thin
  14. club — for dancing
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. spring — a coil
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. club — a group
  19. squash — the sport
  20. arm — a part of something
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. present — there
  23. club — for golf
  24. bank — for money

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