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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. club — a group
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. net — for catching
  6. snap — to snap out of it
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. squash — to crush
  9. can — a tin
  10. club — for dancing
  11. club — for golf
  12. suit — to fit
  13. can — to be able to
  14. snap — to click
  15. stem — to come from
  16. snap — to speak sharply
  17. deal — to handle
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. suit — in cards
  20. net — after costs
  21. net — in sport
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. can — a tin
  24. suit — clothes

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