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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. rule — a law
  3. rule — government
  4. club — a group
  5. club — for golf
  6. plane — a tool
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. squash — the sport
  9. swing — in golf
  10. current — electric
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — a trace
  14. current — happening now
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. swing — to play on
  18. swing — music
  19. game — a match
  20. current — of water
  21. game — wild animals
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. squash — to crush
  24. club — for dancing

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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