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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. craft — boats
  5. mug — a face
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. prune — to trim
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. cell — in biology
  14. squash — to crush
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. mug — to rob
  17. cell — a phone
  18. branch — a division
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. prune — to trim
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. squash — the sport

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