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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 120 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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. object — an aim
  4. pitch — completely
  5. squash — to crush
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. object — a thing
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. lie — to recline
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. band — a ring
  17. squash — the sport
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. fork — in a road
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. band — a music group

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