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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. stand — to bear
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. season — of the year
  8. shower — to wash
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. season — in sport
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. track — a song
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bulb — for light
  16. squash — the sport
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. mark — a trace
  19. track — a path
  20. bulb — for light
  21. shower — rain
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. mark — a grade

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