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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. squash — to crush
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. prune — to trim
  5. ball — a great time
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. land — a country
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. lie — to recline
  13. ball — a dance
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. deal — to handle
  16. current — electric
  17. squash — the sport
  18. current — of water
  19. pass — a permit
  20. prune — to trim
  21. current — happening now
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. land — ground

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