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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.

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: mine · stick · calf · squash · lie · game · key · file

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. key — in music
  4. file — a document
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. squash — the sport
  8. game — a match
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. game — wild animals
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. key — for a lock
  16. file — a line of people
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. squash — to crush
  19. file — a tool
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. mine — for digging
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. key — the most important part
  24. mine — belonging to me

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