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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. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. squash — the sport
  3. craft — a skill
  4. prune — to trim
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. calf — of the leg
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. deal — to handle
  12. stand — to bear
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. prune — the fruit
  17. content — the amount
  18. craft — boats
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. prune — to trim
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. content — happy
  24. stand — for spectators

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