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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. cap — a lid
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. cap — a hat
  5. track — a path
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. cap — of ice
  10. branch — a division
  11. track — a song
  12. rock — a stone
  13. track — to keep track
  14. prune — to trim
  15. branch — of a bank
  16. prune — to trim
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. squash — to crush
  20. deal — to handle
  21. rock — music
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. squash — the sport
  24. rock — to move gently

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