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

Word bank: dip · suit · stick · lash · band · bay · ruler · squash

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. dip — to sink
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. suit — to fit
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. band — a music group
  17. squash — to crush
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. suit — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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