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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
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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: prune · pound · current · racket · bowl · perch · squash · rash

  1. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. A ________________ is just a dried plum.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. prune — to trim
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. squash — to crush
  6. rash — hasty
  7. current — happening now
  8. pound — a weight
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pound — for dogs
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. perch — the fish
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. current — electric
  19. prune — to trim
  20. rash — a series
  21. current — of water
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. prune — the fruit

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