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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. scale — in music
  3. spell — letters
  4. spell — magic
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. squash — to crush
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. root — of a word
  9. degree — an amount
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. lie — to recline
  12. season — of the year
  13. scale — size or range
  14. root — the cause
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. pitch — completely
  17. degree — temperature
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. season — in sport
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. root — of a plant
  22. squash — the sport
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. degree — from a university

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