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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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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: cell · bear · season · mug · mate · squash · mouse · jam

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. bear — the animal
  3. mug — a face
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mug — to rob
  7. squash — to crush
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. season — of the year
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. mate — a partner
  14. cell — in biology
  15. season — in sport
  16. squash — the sport
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. bear — the animal
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. cell — a phone
  23. mate — to breed
  24. mug — a cup

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