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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.

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: track · leaves · lie · squash · lash · pitch · row · key

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. row — a line
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. track — a song
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. pitch — completely
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. lie — to recline
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. track — to keep track
  13. track — a path
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. key — the most important part
  16. row — to paddle
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. key — for a lock
  20. key — in music
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. squash — to crush

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