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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  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. bowl — a football final
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. key — in music
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. key — the most important part
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. track — to keep track
  13. key — for a lock
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. track — a song
  16. track — a path
  17. season — of the year
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. season — in sport
  20. squash — the sport
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. wax — to grow
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. squash — to crush

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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