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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.

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: lie · saw · hand · hide · mouse · deal · squash · wax

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. deal — to handle
  5. wax — to grow
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. hand — help
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. squash — the sport
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. squash — to crush
  19. saw — the tool
  20. saw — the tool
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — to recline

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