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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.

Make a worksheet

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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — to crush
  4. vault — a safe
  5. staff — employees
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. spring — a coil
  8. band — a music group
  9. vault — in gymnastics
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. season — of the year
  13. staff — a stick
  14. march — the month
  15. spring — the season
  16. vault — an arched ceiling
  17. staff — employees
  18. spring — of water
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. march — music
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. band — a ring
  24. march — the month

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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