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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.

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: mine · squash · root · hide · can · last · straw · fan

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. mine — an explosive
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. root — of a word
  6. last — finally
  7. last — final
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. can — a tin
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. root — of a plant
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. root — the cause
  17. can — to be able to
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. last — to go on
  20. mine — for digging
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. squash — to crush
  24. squash — the sport

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