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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.

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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: stick · mine · rest · fine · bowl · season · racket · squash

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rest — a break
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fine — high quality
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. squash — the sport
  10. season — in sport
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. rest — what's left
  17. fine — all right
  18. season — of the year
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mine — an explosive
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. season — to add flavour

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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