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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. file — a document
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. deal — to handle
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. mark — a trace
  6. squash — the sport
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. file — a line of people
  9. spell — a short time
  10. season — of the year
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. file — a tool
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a grade
  15. spell — magic
  16. cell — in biology
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. squash — to crush
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. spell — letters
  22. season — in sport
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. cell — a phone

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