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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. squash — to crush
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. mark — a grade
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. net — for catching
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. chip — to eat
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. net — after costs
  15. chip — for betting
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. season — of the year
  20. mark — a trace
  21. net — in sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — the sport
  24. season — in sport

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