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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. mate — to breed
  3. season — of the year
  4. mate — a friend
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. season — in sport
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. ball — a dance
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. squash — to crush
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. ball — a great time
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. mate — a partner
  18. stand — to bear
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. fork — in a road
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. squash — the sport

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