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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: lean · track · scale · straw · bowl · squash · season · hide

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. scale — in music
  5. season — of the year
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. lean — thin
  10. scale — for weighing
  11. track — a song
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. track — a path
  15. lean — to bend
  16. squash — to crush
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. scale — size or range
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. track — to keep track
  22. season — in sport
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — the vegetable

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