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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: foot · fan · fork · squash · lie · rock · suit · rush

  1. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. rock — music
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. suit — in cards
  10. lie — to recline
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. squash — the sport
  13. foot — a measure
  14. suit — clothes
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. rock — a stone
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rush — hurry
  20. fork — in a road
  21. suit — to fit
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. fork — to eat with

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