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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 120 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

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

Answer key

  1. swing — music
  2. season — of the year
  3. season — in sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. swing — in golf
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. squash — the sport
  11. lie — to recline
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. temple — side of the head
  15. swing — to play on
  16. rule — a law
  17. capital — a city
  18. squash — to crush
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rule — government
  21. capital — money
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. temple — a place of worship

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