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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.

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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: lie · mate · mouse · cabinet · craft · squash · wind · swing

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. wind — moving air
  3. mate — to breed
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. swing — to play on
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. swing — in golf
  8. squash — to crush
  9. lie — to recline
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. swing — music
  14. squash — the sport
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mate — a partner
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. wind — moving air
  24. mate — a friend

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