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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. spring — a coil
  5. craft — a skill
  6. swing — music
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. object — to protest
  9. object — an aim
  10. swing — to play on
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. spring — of water
  14. lie — to recline
  15. mark — a grade
  16. object — a thing
  17. swing — in golf
  18. squash — the sport
  19. branch — a division
  20. mark — a trace
  21. spring — the season
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — boats
  24. squash — to crush

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