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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. drill — a practice
  3. drill — army training
  4. squash — to crush
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. suit — to fit
  9. squash — the sport
  10. stem — to come from
  11. net — after costs
  12. net — for catching
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. drill — the tool
  16. lie — to recline
  17. suit — in cards
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. suit — clothes
  23. stem — of a plant
  24. lie — an untruth

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