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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 120 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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. season — in sport
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — to recline
  8. season — of the year
  9. prune — to trim
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. squash — to crush
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. club — a group
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. prune — to trim
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. squash — the sport
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. club — for dancing
  23. club — for golf
  24. hide — to keep secret

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