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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. mug — a cup
  3. rock — a stone
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. rock — music
  6. game — wild animals
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. object — to protest
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. mug — to rob
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. squash — the sport
  13. sharp — clever
  14. season — in sport
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. squash — to crush
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. season — of the year
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. object — a thing
  21. mug — a face
  22. object — an aim
  23. game — a match
  24. game — a kind of play

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