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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
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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 · spell · lean · jam · wound · bear · snap · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. spell — a short time
  4. wound — an injury
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. spell — magic
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. wound — an injury
  12. squash — the sport
  13. bear — the animal
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. lean — thin
  16. season — in sport
  17. spell — letters
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. snap — to click
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. season — of the year

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