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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. season — in sport
  3. squash — the sport
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. mate — to breed
  7. bear — the animal
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. mate — a friend
  13. rock — a stone
  14. squash — to crush
  15. toast — bread
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. rock — music
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. bear — the animal
  24. season — of the year

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