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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. We're on a ________________ here.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. roll — a list
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. roll — on a roll
  9. ball — a great time
  10. squash — to crush
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. ball — a dance
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bass — low music
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. bass — the fish
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. pit — a hole
  19. roll — a cake
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. pit — in a race
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lie — to recline

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