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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — hasty
  2. squash — to crush
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. staff — employees
  7. rock — a stone
  8. season — in sport
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. drill — the tool
  12. drill — army training
  13. chip — for betting
  14. season — of the year
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. rash — a series
  17. drill — a practice
  18. staff — employees
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. staff — a stick
  21. rock — music
  22. squash — the sport
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. chip — to eat

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