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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. It's one o'clock ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. sharp — exactly
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. sharp — clever
  10. toast — bread
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. root — of a plant
  16. squash — the sport
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. root — of a word
  20. foot — a measure
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. root — the cause
  24. date — the fruit

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