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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. craft — boats
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. squash — to crush
  11. spell — magic
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. spell — letters
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. key — in music
  18. craft — a skill
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. spell — a short time
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. rush — hurry
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. squash — the vegetable

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