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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. season — of the year
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. club — for golf
  8. kick — in football
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. season — in sport
  12. dip — to sink
  13. lie — to recline
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. toast — bread
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. wind — moving air
  18. squash — to crush
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wind — moving air
  21. squash — the sport
  22. club — for dancing
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. wind — to turn a key

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