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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
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: kick · squash · fall · spell · ground · suit · kid · rush

  1. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. fall — the season
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  5. suit — to fit
  6. kid — child
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. fall — to drop
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. ground — crushed
  11. fall — to drop
  12. spell — letters
  13. ground — a position
  14. ground — the earth
  15. rush — hurry
  16. squash — to crush
  17. kick — in football
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. squash — the sport
  20. suit — clothes
  21. spell — magic
  22. kid — to tease
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rush — to hurry

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