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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.

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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  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. can — to be able to
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. band — a music group
  4. staff — employees
  5. wake — a trail
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. can — a tin
  9. season — of the year
  10. key — for a lock
  11. cap — a hat
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a lid
  14. staff — a stick
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. staff — employees
  17. band — a ring
  18. can — a tin
  19. squash — the sport
  20. season — in sport
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. squash — the vegetable
  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