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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: rush · suit · fan · face · arm · object · spring · squash

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. face — part of the head
  3. face — to point toward
  4. object — to protest
  5. spring — of water
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. suit — to fit
  8. squash — to crush
  9. spring — a coil
  10. face — to confront
  11. object — an aim
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. object — a thing
  14. suit — in cards
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. spring — the season
  19. rush — hurry
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. suit — clothes
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. rush — to hurry

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