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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. craft — a skill
  3. kid — to tease
  4. squash — to crush
  5. cap — a lid
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. bank — for money
  8. pit — a hole
  9. mug — a face
  10. bank — of a river
  11. craft — boats
  12. cap — of ice
  13. mug — a cup
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. pit — in a race
  16. bank — for money
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. kid — child
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. mug — to rob
  24. cap — a hat

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