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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. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. season — in sport
  4. season — of the year
  5. squash — to crush
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. object — an aim
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. stock — goods
  11. rule — a law
  12. roll — a cake
  13. stock — shares
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. object — to protest
  16. bear — the animal
  17. game — wild animals
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — government
  23. object — a thing
  24. game — a match

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