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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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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: dip · pop · fine · mark · squash · root · lash · rule

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  14. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. squash — the sport
  3. fine — high quality
  4. squash — to crush
  5. root — of a word
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. rule — government
  9. root — of a plant
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. mark — a grade
  13. rule — a law
  14. root — the cause
  15. mark — a trace
  16. fine — all right
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. pop — to visit
  19. dip — a sauce
  20. pop — music
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. pop — soda
  24. dip — to sink

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