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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 120 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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. craft — a skill
  3. wake — a trail
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. pit — a hole
  10. chip — to eat
  11. squash — to crush
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. pit — in a race
  15. fine — all right
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. bulb — for light
  19. chip — for betting
  20. craft — boats
  21. squash — the sport
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. fine — high quality
  24. bulb — for light

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