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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: squash · season · can · fine · ground · cabinet · pitch · vault

  1. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Did you ________________ the meat?
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — all right
  2. can — to be able to
  3. squash — to crush
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. season — to add flavour
  6. ground — a position
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. can — a tin
  12. pitch — completely
  13. ground — crushed
  14. ground — the earth
  15. season — of the year
  16. can — a tin
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. vault — a safe
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. season — in sport
  23. squash — the sport
  24. fine — high quality

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