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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. cap — a hat
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bound — obliged
  9. season — in sport
  10. bound — tied together
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. squash — to crush
  14. dip — to sink
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. season — of the year
  17. cap — a lid
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. prune — to trim
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. squash — the sport
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. bound — certain
  24. prune — to trim

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