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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 hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bore — to tire
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. season — of the year
  6. rush — hurry
  7. bore — to drill
  8. mate — a friend
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. mate — to breed
  11. rest — what's left
  12. rest — what's left
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. rest — a break
  18. squash — to crush
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mate — a partner
  21. season — in sport
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. fork — in a road

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