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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 116 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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — a permit
  4. shower — rain
  5. squash — to crush
  6. mate — a friend
  7. craft — boats
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bulb — for light
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. bulb — for light
  14. craft — a skill
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. mate — a partner
  17. shower — to wash
  18. can — a tin
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. season — of the year
  22. can — a tin
  23. season — in sport
  24. craft — a handicraft

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