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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. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. bank — for money
  7. bark — a dog's sound
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. squash — the sport
  11. bank — for money
  12. squash — to crush
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. hand — help
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. mate — a partner
  19. bank — of a river
  20. hand — in cards
  21. craft — a skill
  22. craft — boats
  23. mate — to breed
  24. bark — to shout

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