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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: ball · fine · rush · lash · face · suit · cell · squash

  1. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. cell — in biology
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. squash — the sport
  5. cell — a phone
  6. suit — clothes
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. ball — a great time
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. squash — to crush
  12. fine — all right
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. suit — in cards
  15. ball — a dance
  16. face — to point toward
  17. face — part of the head
  18. face — to confront
  19. rush — hurry
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. suit — to fit
  24. lash — to lash out

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