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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The light ________________ burned out.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bank — for money
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. squash — to crush
  6. bulb — for light
  7. season — of the year
  8. board — a committee
  9. mark — a grade
  10. bulb — for light
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. board — to get on
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. plane — in geometry
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — hurry
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. squash — the sport
  20. mark — a trace
  21. bank — for money
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. bank — of a river
  24. plane — a tool

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