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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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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. squash — the sport
  6. wound — an injury
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rush — hurry
  9. squash — to crush
  10. mark — a grade
  11. wound — past of 'wind'
  12. season — of the year
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wound — an injury
  20. season — in sport
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. lie — to recline
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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