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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 116 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: lie · pit · pitcher · craft · suit · land · squash · hide

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. suit — clothes
  4. lie — to recline
  5. squash — to crush
  6. suit — in cards
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — a country
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. suit — to fit
  13. land — ground
  14. pit — a hole
  15. craft — boats
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. pit — in a race
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. squash — the sport
  24. craft — a skill

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