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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. staff — a stick
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. staff — employees
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. mine — for digging
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. pop — to visit
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. pop — soda
  18. pop — music
  19. staff — employees
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. squash — the sport

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