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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. firm — a company
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. pop — music
  5. firm — steady
  6. hand — help
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. hand — in cards
  10. dip — to sink
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. deal — to handle
  16. pop — soda
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pop — to visit
  19. branch — a division
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. squash — to crush
  22. squash — the sport
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. firm — decided

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