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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.

Words on the sheet
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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 · tube · dip · lash · file · present · pitch · pop

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. file — a document
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. pitch — completely
  5. squash — to crush
  6. pop — music
  7. tube — a container
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. file — a line of people
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. pop — soda
  14. present — the time now
  15. dip — to sink
  16. present — there
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. squash — the sport
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. pop — to visit
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. tube — the underground
  23. tube — in a tire
  24. file — a tool

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