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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: firm · squash · ground · safe · rock · spring · row · lash

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. row — a quarrel
  4. spring — the season
  5. squash — the sport
  6. ground — the earth
  7. ground — crushed
  8. rock — music
  9. rock — a stone
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. firm — a company
  12. firm — steady
  13. spring — of water
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. squash — to crush
  16. ground — a position
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. row — a line
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. row — to paddle
  23. spring — a coil
  24. firm — decided

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