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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. date — the fruit
  7. bear — the animal
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. mark — a trace
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. wound — an injury
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. squash — to crush
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. branch — a division
  18. bear — the animal
  19. mark — a grade
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bear — to put up with

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