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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  8. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. patient — a sick person
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. can — to be able to
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. cap — a hat
  8. capital — a city
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. capital — money
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. dip — to sink
  14. can — a tin
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. can — a tin
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. cap — a lid
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. toast — bread
  22. cap — of ice
  23. squash — to crush
  24. toast — the most admired

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