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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: perch · season · object · kick · firm · jam · current · squash

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. kick — in football
  4. season — in sport
  5. current — happening now
  6. squash — the sport
  7. perch — the fish
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. firm — a company
  10. current — electric
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. object — to protest
  14. firm — steady
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. current — of water
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. object — an aim
  19. object — a thing
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. season — of the year
  23. squash — to crush
  24. jam — a tight spot

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