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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. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — the animal
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. squash — the sport
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. wound — an injury
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. cell — in biology
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. squash — to crush
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. cell — a phone
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. wound — an injury
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. lash — to lash out

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