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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.

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: fine · lash · bay · tube · squash · prune · game · chip

  1. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — to trim
  2. squash — the sport
  3. game — a match
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. squash — to crush
  6. game — wild animals
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. tube — the underground
  13. fine — all right
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. chip — to eat
  21. tube — a container
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. fine — high quality

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