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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. scale — in music
  3. squash — the sport
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. row — to paddle
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. scale — size or range
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. craft — a skill
  18. cell — in biology
  19. craft — boats
  20. cell — a phone
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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