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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bulb — for light
  4. tube — the underground
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. bank — for money
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. net — for catching
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. season — of the year
  13. net — after costs
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. net — in sport
  18. bank — for money
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bulb — for light
  22. tube — a container
  23. sharp — clever
  24. season — in sport

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