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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · craft · roll · pass · rule · cell · trunk · key

  1. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. roll — a list
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rule — government
  7. cell — in biology
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. pass — a permit
  12. key — in music
  13. cell — a phone
  14. squash — to crush
  15. craft — boats
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. key — the most important part
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. rule — a law
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. squash — the sport
  24. key — for a lock

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