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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: rash · bowl · scale · squash · mark · cap · bay · lie

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. rash — hasty
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. mark — a grade
  9. rash — a series
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. lie — to recline
  12. rash — on the skin
  13. cap — a hat
  14. squash — the sport
  15. cap — of ice
  16. mark — a trace
  17. cap — a lid
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. squash — to crush
  22. scale — size or range
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. scale — in music

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