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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. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. season — in sport
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. rush — hurry
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. chip — to eat
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. chip — for betting
  23. squash — the sport
  24. nail — for a hammer

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