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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: prune · plane · squash · craft · wake · stick · board · rush

  1. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. The ________________ took off on time.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. wake — before a funeral
  4. rush — hurry
  5. squash — the sport
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. prune — to trim
  10. wake — a trail
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. craft — boats
  13. board — a committee
  14. craft — a skill
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. plane — a tool
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. plane — an aircraft
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. squash — to crush
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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