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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. squash — the sport
  3. stem — to come from
  4. squash — to crush
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. can — a tin
  17. stem — of a plant
  18. rush — hurry
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. deal — to handle
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. rush — a thrill

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