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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 116 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. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. squash — to crush
  3. prune — to trim
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. deal — to handle
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. plane — a tool
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. lie — to recline
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. swing — music
  18. squash — the sport
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. swing — in golf
  21. stand — to bear
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. swing — to play on

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