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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. clip — for paper
  3. clip — a video
  4. swing — music
  5. swing — to play on
  6. firm — steady
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. clip — to cut
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. firm — a company
  11. swing — in golf
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. firm — decided
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. squash — to crush
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. squash — the sport
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. patient — a sick person

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