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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: present · squash · cue · bass · cell · rash · rush · drill

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. cell — a phone
  6. squash — the sport
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. rash — a series
  9. drill — the tool
  10. rash — hasty
  11. cue — a signal
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. cell — in biology
  15. present — the time now
  16. squash — to crush
  17. present — a gift
  18. rush — hurry
  19. drill — army training
  20. drill — a practice
  21. cue — a hint
  22. bass — the fish
  23. cue — for pool
  24. bass — low music

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