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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He was locked up in a ________________.
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  15. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. cell — in a prison
  3. cell — in biology
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. suit — to fit
  7. kid — child
  8. squash — to crush
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. mate — a friend
  12. squash — the sport
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. cell — a phone
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mate — to breed
  19. mine — for digging
  20. lie — to recline
  21. mate — a partner
  22. kid — to tease
  23. suit — clothes
  24. lie — an untruth

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