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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 · root · snap · net · lash · jam · rush · fork

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. snap — to click
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. squash — the sport
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. root — the cause
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. root — of a word
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. squash — to crush
  14. net — in sport
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. fork — in a road
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. root — of a plant
  19. net — after costs
  20. net — for catching
  21. rush — hurry
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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