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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. toast — bread
  5. roll — a cake
  6. charge — a price
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. roll — a list
  15. wind — to turn a key
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. squash — to crush
  18. charge — electricity
  19. squash — the sport
  20. charge — in control
  21. wind — moving air
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. wind — moving air
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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