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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
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: charge · squash · race · arm · date · craft · prune · fan

  1. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. race — humankind
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. race — the arms race
  6. race — a contest
  7. prune — to trim
  8. date — the fruit
  9. charge — electricity
  10. craft — boats
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. craft — a skill
  13. squash — to crush
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. prune — the fruit
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. charge — a price
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. charge — in control
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. squash — the sport
  23. prune — to trim
  24. fan — a supporter

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