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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.

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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 · pound · pitch · craft · stand · hide · roll · squash

  1. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a list
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. lie — to recline
  10. stand — to bear
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. squash — to crush
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. craft — boats
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. pitch — completely
  18. roll — a cake
  19. squash — the sport
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pound — a weight
  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