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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. mug — to rob
  3. rash — hasty
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. mug — a face
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. season — in sport
  9. pop — to visit
  10. rash — a series
  11. key — the most important part
  12. cap — a lid
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. season — of the year
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. cap — a hat
  17. key — for a lock
  18. squash — to crush
  19. squash — the sport
  20. pop — soda
  21. pop — music
  22. cap — of ice
  23. mug — a cup
  24. wave — with your hand

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