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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: squash · rash · rush · band · spell · can · court · foot

  1. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. rash — a series
  3. spell — letters
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. court — for sport
  6. can — to be able to
  7. foot — a measure
  8. band — a rubber band
  9. spell — magic
  10. court — of a king
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. can — a tin
  14. band — a music group
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. court — of law
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. squash — the sport
  20. band — a ring
  21. rash — hasty
  22. rush — hurry
  23. squash — to crush
  24. spell — a short time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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