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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. board — a committee
  3. pit — in a race
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. spell — magic
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. spell — a short time
  9. pit — a hole
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. ball — a dance
  12. ball — a great time
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. bound — tied together
  15. bound — obliged
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. spell — letters
  18. squash — to crush
  19. bound — certain
  20. board — to get on
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. squash — the sport
  23. season — in sport
  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