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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — to crush
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. wound — an injury
  6. race — the arms race
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. hand — in cards
  9. prune — to trim
  10. wound — an injury
  11. race — humankind
  12. suit — to fit
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. bear — the animal
  15. lie — to recline
  16. bear — the animal
  17. hand — help
  18. suit — in cards
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. prune — to trim
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. race — a contest
  24. squash — the sport

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