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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · squash · spell · fan · pitch · lie

  1. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sports field
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. object — an aim
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. lie — to recline
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. object — to protest
  9. squash — to crush
  10. spell — letters
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. spell — magic
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. spell — a short time
  15. squash — the sport
  16. object — a thing
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pitch — completely

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