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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.

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: suit · squash · leaves · hide · plane · lie · roll · calf

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. We have nothing to ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. lie — to recline
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. suit — to fit
  5. squash — the sport
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. plane — a tool
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. roll — a cake
  17. roll — a list
  18. suit — clothes
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. squash — to crush
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. hide — to keep secret

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