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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ took off on time.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. lie — to recline
  3. game — wild animals
  4. firm — steady
  5. firm — a company
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. deal — to handle
  9. plane — an aircraft
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. fall — the season
  12. plane — a tool
  13. game — a match
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. squash — to crush
  16. firm — decided
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fall — to drop
  19. fall — to drop
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. racket — a loud noise

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