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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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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: squash · lie · bay · fall · rock · cue · press · chest

  1. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Did you ________________ the button?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. chest — of your body
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. fall — to drop
  6. lie — to recline
  7. cue — a hint
  8. cue — a signal
  9. cue — for pool
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. squash — the sport
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. fall — the season
  17. press — newspapers
  18. chest — of your body
  19. press — a publisher
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — to crush
  22. press — to push
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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