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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. kid — child
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. content — the amount
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. content — happy
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. suit — clothes
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. kid — to tease
  15. charge — in control
  16. suit — in cards
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. squash — the sport
  19. charge — electricity
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. charge — a price
  22. suit — to fit
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. lash — an eyelash

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