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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: cabinet · prune · vault · lash · rush · track · tear · squash

  1. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. squash — to crush
  3. track — a path
  4. tear — from crying
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. tear — to rip
  7. tear — from crying
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. rush — hurry
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — a safe
  15. squash — the sport
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. prune — to trim
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. track — a song

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