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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.

Make a worksheet

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: wound · last · key · racket · squash · march · mug · bowl

  1. False peace will not ________________.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. wound — an injury
  3. march — music
  4. last — final
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. mug — a cup
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. squash — the sport
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. wound — an injury
  13. last — finally
  14. mug — to rob
  15. key — the most important part
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. squash — to crush
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. key — in music
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. mug — a face

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