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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 116 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. content — videos and posts
  3. ground — the earth
  4. content — the amount
  5. bass — the fish
  6. ground — crushed
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. wax — to grow
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. squash — to crush
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. content — happy
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. ground — a position
  20. bass — low music
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. squash — the sport

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