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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: ball · wound · prune · rash · scale · suit · rush · craft

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  3. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. prune — to trim
  3. prune — the fruit
  4. rush — hurry
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rash — a series
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. rash — hasty
  9. scale — in music
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. wound — an injury
  12. suit — clothes
  13. craft — a skill
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. prune — to trim
  16. ball — a dance
  17. scale — size or range
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wound — an injury
  22. suit — in cards
  23. ball — a great time
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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