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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 120 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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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 · temple · mouse · rest · lash · foot · object · row

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. squash — to crush
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. rest — what's left
  6. foot — a measure
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. rest — what's left
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. rest — a break
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. object — to protest
  19. squash — the sport
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. row — a line
  22. object — a thing
  23. object — an aim
  24. row — to paddle

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