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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
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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: fan · squash · wound · firm · stick · bay · bulb · rush

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. wound — an injury
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. bulb — for light
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. squash — to crush
  12. squash — the sport
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. firm — steady
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. rush — 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