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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. spell — letters
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. spell — a short time
  5. ball — a dance
  6. suit — to fit
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. bulb — for light
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. squash — to crush
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. spell — magic
  17. rush — hurry
  18. bulb — for light
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. stem — to come from
  21. suit — in cards
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ball — a great time

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