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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pass · row · pitcher · leaves · temple · craft · wound · squash

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. craft — a skill
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. squash — to crush
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. wound — an injury
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. row — to paddle
  20. row — a line
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. squash — the sport
  23. wound — an injury
  24. leaves — lets stay

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