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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. perch — the fish
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. pitch — completely
  5. suit — clothes
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. rush — hurry
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. board — a committee
  13. suit — in cards
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. board — to get on
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — the sport
  21. squash — to crush
  22. suit — to fit
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. perch — for a bird

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