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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: season · pop · ruler · straw · pitcher · charge · bass · squash

  1. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. squash — the sport
  3. bass — the fish
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. bass — low music
  10. pop — to visit
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. season — in sport
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. pop — soda
  15. bass — the instrument
  16. charge — in control
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. charge — a price
  19. pop — music
  20. season — of the year
  21. squash — to crush
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. charge — electricity
  24. season — to add flavour

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