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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 band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. march — music
  3. club — for dancing
  4. deal — to handle
  5. bulb — for light
  6. rule — a law
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. club — a group
  10. rule — government
  11. squash — the sport
  12. foot — a measure
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. march — the month
  16. squash — to crush
  17. rest — a break
  18. club — for golf
  19. bulb — for light
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. march — the month
  22. rest — what's left
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. rest — what's left

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