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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. lie — to recline
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. squash — to crush
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. stem — to come from
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. club — for golf
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. season — of the year
  13. squash — the sport
  14. pop — soda
  15. club — a group
  16. club — for dancing
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pop — music
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. chair — a leader
  22. pop — to visit
  23. season — in sport
  24. chair — a professorship

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