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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 120 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. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. root — of a word
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. root — the cause
  5. mate — a partner
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. squash — the sport
  10. kid — child
  11. mate — to breed
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. craft — a skill
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. squash — to crush
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. kid — to tease
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. root — of a plant
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  23. mate — a friend
  24. craft — boats

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