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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — to rob
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. stem — to come from
  9. branch — a division
  10. stem — of a plant
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. stem — a stem cell
  13. squash — the sport
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. staff — employees
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. season — in sport
  18. mug — a face
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. staff — employees
  21. staff — a stick
  22. season — of the year
  23. squash — to crush
  24. branch — of a bank

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