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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. squash — the sport
  3. firm — a company
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. prune — to trim
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. prune — to trim
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. mug — a face
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. roll — a list
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. season — of the year
  18. mug — to rob
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. squash — to crush
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. mug — a cup
  24. roll — a cake

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