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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. squash — the sport
  5. row — a line
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. squash — to crush
  8. bound — certain
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. can — a tin
  11. can — a tin
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bound — obliged
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. current — happening now
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. can — to be able to
  19. current — electric
  20. current — of water
  21. deal — to handle
  22. rush — hurry
  23. row — to paddle
  24. bound — tied together

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