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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. can — a tin
  3. can — a tin
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. squash — to crush
  10. squash — the sport
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. can — to be able to
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. row — a line
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. craft — boats
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. row — to paddle

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