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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. When was this ________________ built?
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. spell — a short time
  4. squash — the sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. capital — money
  7. rock — a stone
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. can — to be able to
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. spell — letters
  18. rock — music
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. capital — a city
  23. spell — magic
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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