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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
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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: scale · lie · squash · bay · court · rock

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. rock — music
  3. court — of a king
  4. lie — to recline
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. rock — a stone
  7. squash — the sport
  8. scale — size or range
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. squash — to crush
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. scale — in music
  15. court — of law
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. court — for sport
  18. bay — a part of the sea

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