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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 120 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: can · leaves · fan · ground · squash · firm

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — the earth
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. squash — to crush
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. can — a tin
  7. firm — decided
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — to be able to
  13. ground — a position
  14. squash — the sport
  15. firm — steady
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. firm — a company

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