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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 116 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: season · tear · mate · bowl · bay · squash · track · suit

  1. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. tear — to rip
  3. bowl — to roll
  4. season — in sport
  5. mate — a partner
  6. tear — from crying
  7. suit — clothes
  8. squash — the sport
  9. track — to keep track
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mate — a friend
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. season — of the year
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. track — a path
  21. suit — to fit
  22. suit — in cards
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bowl — a football final

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