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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 · roll · deal · lean · lash · fine · bound · rest

  1. That was ________________ to happen.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — certain
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. squash — the sport
  4. rest — what's left
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. roll — a list
  7. deal — to handle
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. squash — to crush
  10. lean — thin
  11. rest — a break
  12. fine — all right
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. bound — tied together
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. fine — high quality
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. bound — obliged
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. lean — to bend
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. roll — a cake
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. rest — what's left

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