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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. season — in sport
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. season — of the year
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. snap — to click
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. suit — in cards
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. squash — the sport
  14. squash — to crush
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. suit — to fit
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ruler — for measuring

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