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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 124 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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. suit — clothes
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. suit — in cards
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. squash — the sport
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. craft — boats
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. craft — a skill
  17. charge — a price
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. charge — in control
  20. charge — electricity
  21. squash — to crush
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. mouse — the animal

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