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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: lie · saw · file · mate · swing · jam · season · squash

  1. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. squash — the sport
  5. swing — to play on
  6. file — a line of people
  7. swing — music
  8. season — of the year
  9. saw — the tool
  10. file — a tool
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. file — a document
  14. swing — in golf
  15. mate — a friend
  16. mate — a partner
  17. saw — the tool
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. squash — to crush
  21. lie — to recline
  22. season — in sport
  23. mate — to breed
  24. lie — an untruth

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