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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. False peace will not ________________.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. last — to go on
  4. squash — to crush
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. saw — the tool
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. sharp — clever
  12. last — finally
  13. last — final
  14. rush — hurry
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. saw — the tool
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. squash — the sport
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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