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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 116 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: mine · squash · mouse · rush · safe · face · object · stock

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. stock — shares
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. rush — hurry
  6. squash — the sport
  7. mine — for digging
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. face — to point toward
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. face — part of the head
  13. object — to protest
  14. object — a thing
  15. squash — to crush
  16. object — an aim
  17. face — to confront
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. safe — a strongbox
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. stock — goods

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