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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: mate · mouse · stem · rock · ruler · squash · lie · pitch

  1. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — to move gently
  2. squash — the sport
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rock — music
  5. lie — to recline
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. rock — a stone
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. pitch — completely
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. mate — to breed
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. squash — to crush
  18. mate — a friend
  19. stem — to come from
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. mate — a partner
  24. mouse — the animal

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