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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. capital — a city
  4. squash — the sport
  5. rash — a series
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. stock — goods
  8. can — a tin
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. can — to be able to
  17. rash — hasty
  18. stock — shares
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. can — a tin
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. capital — money
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. cabinet — ministers

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