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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. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. present — there
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. present — a gift
  10. swing — in golf
  11. squash — to crush
  12. prune — to trim
  13. swing — to play on
  14. board — to get on
  15. degree — an amount
  16. degree — temperature
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. degree — from a university
  19. prune — to trim
  20. board — a committee
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. present — the time now
  23. squash — the sport
  24. swing — music

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