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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. jam — a tight spot
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. staff — employees
  5. roll — a list
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. staff — employees
  12. can — a tin
  13. squash — to crush
  14. row — a line
  15. deal — to handle
  16. row — to paddle
  17. squash — the sport
  18. staff — a stick
  19. can — to be able to
  20. roll — a cake
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. can — a tin
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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