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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. track — to keep track
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. squash — the sport
  6. lie — to recline
  7. suit — clothes
  8. spell — a short time
  9. track — a song
  10. wind — moving air
  11. wound — an injury
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. squash — to crush
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. track — a path
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. wound — an injury
  20. spell — magic
  21. suit — in cards
  22. suit — to fit
  23. wind — moving air
  24. spell — letters

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