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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: mark · calf · squash · craft · pop · sharp · bore · prune

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pop — soda
  7. pop — to visit
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. squash — the sport
  10. craft — boats
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. bore — to tire
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. sharp — clever
  16. craft — a skill
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. mark — a trace
  19. squash — to crush
  20. prune — to trim
  21. pop — music
  22. prune — to trim
  23. calf — of the leg
  24. squash — the vegetable

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