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

Word bank: squash · bear · cell · deal · lie · cap

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a hat
  5. cell — in biology
  6. lie — to recline
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. deal — to handle
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bear — the animal
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cap — a lid
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. squash — the sport
  18. cell — a phone

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