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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. chip — for betting
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. squash — the sport
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. band — a music group
  12. chip — to eat
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. band — a ring
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. suit — clothes
  22. squash — to crush
  23. dip — to sink
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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