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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: tear · racket · pop · season · squash · suit · track · leaves

  1. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. You don't need to ________________ round.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. tear — to rip
  4. season — in sport
  5. squash — to crush
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. suit — clothes
  8. pop — to visit
  9. pop — soda
  10. suit — in cards
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. squash — the sport
  14. tear — from crying
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. track — a song
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. tear — from crying
  20. track — to keep track
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. track — a path
  23. season — of the year
  24. suit — to fit

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