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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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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 · rush · fine · dip · spell · firm · race · fork

  1. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. spell — letters
  3. squash — to crush
  4. fine — high quality
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. race — the arms race
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. fork — a garden tool
  10. firm — a company
  11. fork — in a road
  12. squash — the sport
  13. dip — to sink
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. race — a contest
  16. firm — steady
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. rush — hurry
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. race — humankind
  21. firm — decided
  22. spell — a short time
  23. dip — to dunk
  24. fine — all right

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