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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.

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: pitcher · bear · lash · wake · swing · mug · jam · squash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. David sat on the ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. swing — music
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. mug — a face
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. swing — in golf
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. squash — to crush
  12. swing — to play on
  13. bear — the animal
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. mug — to rob
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. wake — a trail
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. mug — a cup
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. squash — the sport

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