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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. When was this ________________ built?
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. lie — to recline
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. track — to keep track
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. squash — the sport
  11. track — a song
  12. press — newspapers
  13. press — a publisher
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. press — to push
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. perch — the fish
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. track — a path

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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