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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. rash — a series
  4. fork — in a road
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. track — a song
  8. track — a path
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. track — to keep track
  13. hand — in cards
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. squash — the sport
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. squash — to crush
  19. suit — in cards
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. hand — help
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. suit — clothes
  24. fork — a garden tool

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