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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: hand · jam · can · mug · object · trunk · lean · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. mug — a cup
  3. object — a thing
  4. lean — to bend
  5. lean — thin
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. hand — in cards
  9. mug — a face
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. object — an aim
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. can — to be able to
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mug — to rob
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. object — to protest
  20. hand — help
  21. can — a tin
  22. can — a tin
  23. squash — the sport
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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