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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. season — of the year
  3. can — a tin
  4. rest — what's left
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. squash — to crush
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. can — to be able to
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. rest — a break
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. lean — to bend
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. bulb — for light
  20. can — a tin
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. rest — what's left
  23. lean — thin
  24. bulb — for light

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