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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. lie — to recline
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. drill — the tool
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. squash — to crush
  8. land — to come down
  9. drill — a practice
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. land — ground
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. squash — the sport
  17. bore — to drill
  18. land — a country
  19. suit — in cards
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bore — to tire
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. drill — army training
  24. leaves — of a tree

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