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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: wound · suit · jam · leaves · rush · deal · squash · craft

  1. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. rush — hurry
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. deal — to handle
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. craft — a skill
  13. wound — an injury
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. suit — to fit
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. squash — the sport
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. craft — boats
  20. suit — in cards
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. squash — to crush
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. rush — a thrill

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