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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. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — to handle
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bat — for baseball
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. cap — a lid
  6. suit — clothes
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. last — finally
  10. last — to go on
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. squash — the sport
  13. squash — to crush
  14. charge — a price
  15. charge — in control
  16. cap — of ice
  17. charge — electricity
  18. suit — to fit
  19. last — final
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. suit — in cards
  22. cap — a hat
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. bat — the animal

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