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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 120 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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. We're almost out of ________________.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. staff — employees
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. staff — a stick
  5. squash — the sport
  6. wax — for sculpting
  7. pop — to visit
  8. current — happening now
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. branch — a division
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pop — music
  15. current — electric
  16. pop — soda
  17. current — of water
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. wax — to grow
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. squash — to crush
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. staff — employees

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