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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: mate · spell · row · calf · lie · bear · squash · content

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. row — to paddle
  4. squash — the sport
  5. lie — to recline
  6. spell — a short time
  7. spell — magic
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. squash — to crush
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. content — happy
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. mate — a friend
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. mate — to breed
  16. row — a line
  17. bear — the animal
  18. content — the amount
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. spell — letters
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bear — the animal
  24. mate — a partner

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