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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. squash — the sport
  3. lean — to bend
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. firm — steady
  6. bank — for money
  7. firm — decided
  8. lean — thin
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. craft — a skill
  11. squash — to crush
  12. press — newspapers
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. press — a publisher
  16. bank — of a river
  17. bank — for money
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. craft — boats
  21. press — to push
  22. firm — a company
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. squash — the vegetable

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