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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.

Make a worksheet

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
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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: mug · lie · bay · squash · roll · rock · jam · arm

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. mug — a face
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. squash — the sport
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. rock — music
  13. roll — a list
  14. squash — to crush
  15. roll — a cake
  16. mug — a cup
  17. rock — a stone
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mug — to rob
  22. arm — a part of something
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. lie — an untruth

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