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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. squash — to crush
  4. bank — for money
  5. lie — to recline
  6. wound — an injury
  7. squash — the sport
  8. bank — of a river
  9. ground — crushed
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. track — to keep track
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. cue — for pool
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bank — for money
  17. present — a gift
  18. present — the time now
  19. track — a path
  20. track — a song
  21. ground — a position
  22. ground — the earth
  23. wound — an injury
  24. present — there

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