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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. squash — the sport
  3. suit — clothes
  4. object — an aim
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bass — low music
  8. object — a thing
  9. bass — the fish
  10. hand — in cards
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. suit — in cards
  13. hand — help
  14. lie — to recline
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. squash — to crush
  17. pitch — completely
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. pitch — a sports field
  21. deal — to handle
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. suit — to fit
  24. lie — an untruth

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