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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: temple · squash · prune · craft · swing · pit · toast · bass

  1. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  20. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. swing — in golf
  4. craft — boats
  5. pit — a hole
  6. toast — bread
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. pit — in a race
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. swing — to play on
  17. prune — to trim
  18. squash — to crush
  19. swing — music
  20. bass — low music
  21. squash — the sport
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. craft — a skill
  24. prune — to trim

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