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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. band — a music group
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bass — low music
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. band — a ring
  16. craft — boats
  17. squash — to crush
  18. rush — hurry

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