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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 116 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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He was locked up in a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rest — a break
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. season — of the year
  6. cell — a phone
  7. suit — clothes
  8. cell — in a prison
  9. rest — what's left
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bulb — for light
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — in sport
  15. craft — a skill
  16. rest — what's left
  17. cell — in biology
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bulb — for light
  21. mark — a trace
  22. suit — in cards
  23. craft — boats
  24. suit — to fit

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