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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: lash · bear · staff · pop · squash · mouse · mark · sharp

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. pop — music
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. mark — a trace
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. bear — the animal
  12. squash — the sport
  13. staff — employees
  14. mark — a grade
  15. pop — to visit
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. sharp — clever
  18. bear — the animal
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. staff — employees
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pop — soda
  24. staff — a stick

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