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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. spell — a short time
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pitch — completely
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rest — what's left
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rock — music
  12. bound — certain
  13. spell — magic
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bound — tied together
  16. spell — letters
  17. lie — to recline
  18. squash — to crush
  19. mark — a trace
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rest — a break
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. bound — obliged
  24. pitch — a sports field

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