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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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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. swing — music
  3. swing — to play on
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. rule — a law
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. squash — the sport
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. can — to be able to
  11. saw — the tool
  12. squash — to crush
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. saw — the tool
  15. can — a tin
  16. snap — to click
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. can — a tin
  20. swing — in golf
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. rule — government
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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