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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. squash — the sport
  4. bore — to drill
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. pound — a weight
  9. tear — from crying
  10. craft — a skill
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. craft — boats
  14. squash — to crush
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. suit — to fit
  18. tear — to rip
  19. bore — to tire
  20. suit — in cards
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. tear — from crying
  23. suit — clothes
  24. pound — for dogs

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