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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.

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: bore · rash · dip · pitcher · craft · perch · squash · plane

  1. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. Don't do anything ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. dip — to sink
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. craft — a skill
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bore — to drill
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. perch — the fish
  18. craft — boats
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bore — to tire
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rash — a series
  23. rash — hasty
  24. plane — a tool

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