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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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: squash · cell · season · rush · lash · content · cue · ground

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. cell — a phone
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. cue — for pool
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. squash — to crush
  7. ground — crushed
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. ground — the earth
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. cue — a signal
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. content — the amount
  14. ground — a position
  15. season — in sport
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. cue — a hint
  18. rush — hurry
  19. squash — the sport
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. content — happy
  24. cell — in biology

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