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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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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: swing · lash · mouse · squash · snap · present · bear · ruler

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. present — there
  4. swing — to play on
  5. squash — the sport
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. snap — to click
  14. present — the time now
  15. swing — music
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. present — a gift
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. swing — in golf
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. squash — to crush
  24. bear — the animal

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