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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: can · march · lie · squash · roll · foot · suit · ball

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. can — a tin
  3. march — music
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. suit — to fit
  6. can — a tin
  7. lie — to recline
  8. march — the month
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. ball — a dance
  11. march — the month
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. squash — the sport
  14. suit — in cards
  15. roll — a list
  16. roll — a cake
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. suit — clothes
  19. foot — a measure
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. can — to be able to
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. ball — a great time

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