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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. foot — a measure
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rash — a series
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. squash — to crush
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. wake — a trail
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. squash — the sport
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. rash — hasty
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. leaves — lets stay

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