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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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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: lash · squash · foot · swing · press · firm · wave · chair

  1. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  2. Did you ________________ the button?
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — the bottom
  2. press — to push
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. squash — the sport
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. press — newspapers
  7. firm — decided
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. swing — to play on
  15. firm — steady
  16. chair — a leader
  17. squash — to crush
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. swing — in golf
  21. firm — a company
  22. press — a publisher
  23. swing — music
  24. foot — a measure

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