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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: capital · can · squash · lie · deal · rock · board · bowl

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. can — a tin
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. can — to be able to
  5. rock — a stone
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. can — a tin
  8. capital — a city
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. deal — to handle
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. squash — the sport
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. board — a committee
  16. rock — music
  17. squash — to crush
  18. capital — money
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. lie — to recline
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. board — to get on

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