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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: rest · lash · stand · deal · prune · squash · pitch · mark

  1. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. pitch — a sports field
  3. prune — to trim
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. prune — to trim
  7. deal — to handle
  8. squash — the sport
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. rest — what's left
  11. mark — a trace
  12. squash — to crush
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. mark — a grade
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. pitch — completely
  24. lash — to lash out

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