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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. track — to keep track
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. stock — shares
  5. squash — the sport
  6. shower — to wash
  7. mug — a face
  8. scale — size or range
  9. mug — to rob
  10. squash — to crush
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. track — a path
  14. shower — rain
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — in music
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. track — a song
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. stock — goods
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. season — of the year
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. mug — a cup

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