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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. squash — to crush
  4. squash — the sport
  5. key — the most important part
  6. race — the arms race
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. season — in sport
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. mark — a trace
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. key — in music
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. suit — to fit
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. season — of the year
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. race — a contest
  20. suit — clothes
  21. key — for a lock
  22. mark — a grade
  23. race — humankind
  24. jam — in traffic

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