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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. last — to go on
  3. last — finally
  4. squash — to crush
  5. mate — a partner
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. mate — a friend
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pass — a permit
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. last — final
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. rock — a stone
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. snap — to click
  19. mate — to breed
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rock — music
  23. lie — to recline
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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