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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. squash — to crush
  4. fine — high quality
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. court — of law
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. court — of a king
  9. scale — for weighing
  10. fine — all right
  11. scale — in music
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. court — for sport
  14. rush — hurry
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rash — a series
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rash — hasty
  23. squash — the sport
  24. craft — boats

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