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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. dip — to sink
  3. last — to go on
  4. lean — to bend
  5. fine — all right
  6. last — finally
  7. cue — a hint
  8. squash — to crush
  9. rule — government
  10. lean — thin
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. cue — a signal
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. squash — the sport
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. cue — for pool
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. rule — a law
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. last — final
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. fine — high quality
  24. lean — to rest against

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