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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. squash — to crush
  7. roll — a cake
  8. cap — a hat
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. cap — of ice
  11. season — in sport
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. chip — to eat
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. squash — the sport
  19. chip — for betting
  20. roll — a list
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. cap — a lid
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. toast — bread

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