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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: squash · pass · pound · mouse · fan · can · clip · lash

  1. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. clip — for paper
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. pass — a permit
  10. can — to be able to
  11. clip — a video
  12. pound — a weight
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. squash — to crush
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pound — for dogs
  18. squash — the sport
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — a tin
  24. squash — the vegetable

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