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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. saw — the tool
  4. squash — the sport
  5. cue — for pool
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lean — thin
  8. saw — the tool
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stand — to bear
  11. spell — magic
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. spell — letters
  15. cue — a signal
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. cue — a hint
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. spell — a short time
  21. lean — to bend
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. ruler — for measuring

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