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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.

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: can · pit · arm · plane · squash · season · toast · key

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The ________________ took off on time.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. season — in sport
  3. can — a tin
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. pit — a hole
  7. key — the most important part
  8. squash — to crush
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — to be able to
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. key — for a lock
  15. toast — bread
  16. key — in music
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. squash — the sport
  19. season — of the year
  20. pit — in a race
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. plane — an aircraft

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