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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: last · fan · saw · pop · ruler · squash · date · can

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. False peace will not ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. You don't need to ________________ round.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. We're almost out of ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  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. last — finally
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. can — to be able to
  7. last — to go on
  8. saw — the tool
  9. last — final
  10. pop — to visit
  11. squash — to crush
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pop — music
  15. squash — the sport
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. pop — soda
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. date — the fruit
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. date — on the calendar
  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