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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 120 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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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: trunk · deal · season · dip · squash · can · scale · land

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. When are we going to ________________?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. dip — to sink
  3. land — to come down
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. season — of the year
  7. season — in sport
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. squash — the sport
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. squash — to crush
  14. can — a tin
  15. scale — size or range
  16. scale — in music
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. land — a country
  19. land — ground
  20. deal — to handle
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. can — a tin
  24. can — to be able to

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