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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. lie — to recline
  5. plane — a tool
  6. hand — in cards
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. rash — a series
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. hand — help
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rash — hasty
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. squash — the sport
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. squash — the vegetable

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