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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 · foot · fine · mug · trunk · bay · lash · row

  1. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. squash — the sport
  3. squash — to crush
  4. fine — all right
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. row — to paddle
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. mug — to rob
  10. fine — high quality
  11. foot — a measure
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mug — a face
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. row — a line
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. bay — a horse colour

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