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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. Have you settled on a ________________?
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — soda
  3. date — the fruit
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. rest — a break
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. rest — what's left
  10. squash — the sport
  11. object — to protest
  12. squash — to crush
  13. object — a thing
  14. board — to get on
  15. date — on the calendar
  16. pop — to visit
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. object — an aim
  19. perch — the fish
  20. board — a committee
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. rest — what's left

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