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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 116 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 can't ________________ this cold.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  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. stand — to bear
  2. squash — the sport
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. rock — a stone
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bear — the animal
  9. spell — a short time
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. squash — to crush
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bear — the animal
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. spell — letters
  20. rock — music
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. season — in sport
  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.

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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