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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 · key · season · snap · board · toast · mate · field

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. field — for sport
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mate — to breed
  6. field — a subject
  7. snap — to click
  8. toast — bread
  9. season — of the year
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. board — a committee
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. key — in music
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. squash — the sport
  18. key — for a lock
  19. field — farmland
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. board — to get on
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. key — the most important part
  24. season — in sport

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