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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: squash · rash · safe · deal · jam · bear · lash · tear

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. squash — to crush
  3. bear — the animal
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. tear — from crying
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. rash — hasty
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. deal — to handle
  18. tear — to rip
  19. rash — a series
  20. bear — the animal
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. tear — from crying

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