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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 120 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: lean · pop · squash · last · fan · firm · wave · mug

  1. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. last — to go on
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a cup
  5. squash — to crush
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lean — to bend
  9. firm — steady
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. firm — decided
  12. pop — to visit
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. pop — soda
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. last — final
  17. firm — a company
  18. last — finally
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. lean — thin
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. squash — the sport
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. pop — 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