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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
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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: squash · rock · spell · race · lean · suit · cap · jam

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. spell — letters
  3. suit — to fit
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. cap — a hat
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. squash — the sport
  10. suit — in cards
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — the arms race
  13. spell — a short time
  14. lean — to bend
  15. cap — a lid
  16. spell — magic
  17. cap — of ice
  18. squash — to crush
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. suit — clothes
  21. race — humankind
  22. rock — a stone
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to rest against

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