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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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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: squash · rock · pass · can · sharp · bulb · roll · lash

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bulb — for light
  4. can — to be able to
  5. can — a tin
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. rock — music
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the sport
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. roll — a list
  17. roll — a cake
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. can — a tin
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. rock — a stone
  23. sharp — clever
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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