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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. branch — a division
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rock — a stone
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. rock — music
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. face — to point toward
  10. club — a group
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. club — for dancing
  16. club — for golf
  17. face — part of the head
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. squash — to crush
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. lie — to recline
  22. face — to confront
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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