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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. can — to be able to
  3. face — to confront
  4. track — a path
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. object — an aim
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. track — to keep track
  10. object — to protest
  11. squash — the sport
  12. pound — for dogs
  13. pound — a weight
  14. face — part of the head
  15. object — a thing
  16. track — a song
  17. can — a tin
  18. chip — for betting
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. chip — to eat
  21. lie — to recline
  22. can — a tin
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. face — to point toward

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