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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. plane — a tool
  7. stock — shares
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. plane — in geometry
  10. fork — in a road
  11. squash — the sport
  12. wind — moving air
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. wind — moving air
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. stock — goods
  22. pit — a hole
  23. squash — to crush
  24. leaves — of a tree

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