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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 116 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: stand · squash · prune · lash · craft · bass · mate · court

  1. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  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. lash — to lash out
  2. squash — the sport
  3. stand — to bear
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. bass — the fish
  8. court — of a king
  9. squash — to crush
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. mate — a partner
  12. court — for sport
  13. mate — to breed
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. craft — boats
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. prune — to trim
  18. court — of law
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. bass — low music
  22. craft — a skill
  23. mate — a friend
  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