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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · bay · bear · press · sharp · mark · season · perch

  1. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Did you ________________ the button?
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — with an edge
  2. sharp — clever
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. mark — a grade
  5. bear — the animal
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. press — newspapers
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. season — in sport
  11. press — a publisher
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. squash — to crush
  14. press — to push
  15. perch — the fish
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. season — of the year
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. squash — the sport

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