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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. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. chip — to eat
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. prune — to trim
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. last — finally
  8. bulb — for light
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. lean — thin
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. lean — to bend
  13. chip — in a computer
  14. squash — the sport
  15. prune — to trim
  16. last — to go on
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. rush — hurry
  19. last — final
  20. chip — for betting
  21. squash — to crush
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. bulb — for light
  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