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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · sharp · coach · mug · pit · craft · leaves · rush

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  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 — to crush
  2. mug — to rob
  3. mug — a face
  4. craft — a skill
  5. sharp — clever
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. squash — the sport
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. pit — in a race
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. rush — hurry
  17. pit — a hole
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. mug — a cup
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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