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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: season · fork · board · pass · calf · squash · pop · rash

  1. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. board — a flat piece
  2. squash — the sport
  3. pop — soda
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pop — to visit
  6. rash — a series
  7. season — in sport
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pop — music
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. pass — a permit
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. board — to get on
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. rash — hasty
  19. fork — in a road
  20. squash — to crush
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. season — of the year
  23. board — a committee
  24. fork — a garden tool

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