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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.

Make a worksheet

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: spell · pitcher · bay · fork · object · saw · squash · lie

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. saw — the tool
  4. fork — in a road
  5. object — to protest
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. object — a thing
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. lie — to recline
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. spell — a short time
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. saw — the tool
  18. squash — to crush
  19. spell — letters
  20. object — an aim
  21. spell — magic
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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