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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. row — a line
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. mark — a grade
  5. scale — in music
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. pass — a permit
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. perch — the fish
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. mark — a trace
  18. season — in sport
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. scale — size or range
  21. row — to paddle
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. season — of the year
  24. squash — to crush

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