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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. squash — to crush
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. perch — the fish
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. squash — the sport
  11. rock — music
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. wind — moving air
  16. rush — hurry
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. dip — a sauce
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. rock — to move gently

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