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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: cue · wake · bear · lie · squash · present · spell · cabinet

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. bear — the animal
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. present — the time now
  5. spell — a short time
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. present — a gift
  9. spell — letters
  10. lie — to recline
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — a hint
  16. bear — the animal
  17. cue — for pool
  18. present — there
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. wake — a trail
  22. spell — magic
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bear — to put up with

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