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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. squash — to crush
  3. mug — a face
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. squash — the vegetable
  6. chest — a box
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. squash — the sport
  10. mug — to rob
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. spring — a coil
  14. chest — of your body
  15. spring — of water
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. spring — the season
  20. chest — of your body
  21. rush — hurry
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. mug — a cup
  24. rush — to hurry

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