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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: current · bowl · squash · lash · object · lie · stand · bay

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. current — happening now
  4. object — to protest
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. object — an aim
  11. current — of water
  12. object — a thing
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — to crush
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. current — electric
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. stand — to bear
  24. stand — on your feet

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