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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. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. track — a path
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. cap — a lid
  5. net — for catching
  6. squash — the sport
  7. track — a song
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. cap — a hat
  11. toast — bread
  12. swing — music
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. swing — in golf
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. squash — to crush
  18. net — in sport
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. net — after costs
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. swing — to play on
  23. track — to keep track
  24. cap — of ice

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