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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.

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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
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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: kid · firm · court · calf · rock · prune · squash · rash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  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. rash — a series
  2. rash — hasty
  3. kid — child
  4. firm — steady
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. squash — the sport
  10. firm — a company
  11. prune — to trim
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. kid — to tease
  14. firm — decided
  15. court — for sport
  16. rock — a stone
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. rock — music
  20. court — of a king
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. court — of law
  23. squash — to crush
  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