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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The ________________ took off on time.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — to eat with
  2. squash — to crush
  3. squash — the sport
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. plane — in geometry
  7. fork — in a road
  8. pound — for dogs
  9. deal — to handle
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. plane — an aircraft
  13. lie — to recline
  14. plane — a tool
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pound — a weight
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. pound — to hit hard

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