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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rock — a stone
  4. rest — a break
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. object — an aim
  7. season — in sport
  8. degree — from a university
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. deal — to handle
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. degree — an amount
  13. rock — music
  14. squash — the sport
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — to protest
  17. rest — what's left
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. season — of the year
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. degree — temperature
  24. rock — to move gently

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