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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: stem · squash · stick · pitcher · fan · deal · roll · clip

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  23. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. clip — to cut
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. squash — the sport
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. roll — a cake
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. clip — a video
  11. roll — a list
  12. clip — for paper
  13. deal — to handle
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. stem — a stem cell
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. stem — of a plant
  23. pitcher — a jug
  24. fan — a supporter

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