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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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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. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. squash — to crush
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. firm — a company
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. firm — steady
  12. hand — in cards
  13. bulb — for light
  14. bulb — of a plant
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. charge — a price
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. charge — in control
  19. hand — help
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. charge — electricity
  22. squash — the sport
  23. bulb — for light
  24. bark — to shout

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