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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: straw · squash · sharp · toast · lie · racket · leaves · jam

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. toast — bread
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. squash — the sport
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. sharp — clever
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. squash — to crush
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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