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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 116 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 president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  4. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. stem — a stem cell
  4. snap — to snap out of it
  5. march — the month
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. stem — to come from
  11. suit — clothes
  12. stem — of a plant
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. snap — to click
  15. wind — moving air
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. wind — moving air
  19. march — music
  20. squash — the sport
  21. fork — in a road
  22. march — the month
  23. vault — a safe
  24. suit — to fit

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