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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. race — the arms race
  3. stem — of a plant
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. stand — to bear
  6. degree — from a university
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. season — in sport
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stem — to come from
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. degree — temperature
  15. key — for a lock
  16. race — humankind
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. key — in music
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. squash — the sport
  22. race — a contest
  23. degree — an amount
  24. squash — to crush

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