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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. cue — a hint
  3. cue — a signal
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. hand — help
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. race — humankind
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. cue — for pool
  14. race — a contest
  15. squash — to crush
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. hand — in cards
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. race — the arms race

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