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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.

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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: mate · squash · lash · stem · swing · bowl · rule · suit

  1. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. stem — to come from
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mate — to breed
  7. mate — a partner
  8. rule — government
  9. suit — clothes
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. rule — a law
  12. squash — to crush
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. squash — the sport
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. swing — to play on
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. mate — a friend
  20. bowl — a dish
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. swing — 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