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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: craft · chair · prune · fine · rush · can · suit · squash

  1. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — to crush
  2. craft — a skill
  3. fine — all right
  4. suit — in cards
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — to fit
  8. can — a tin
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. squash — the sport
  13. prune — to trim
  14. rush — hurry
  15. prune — to trim
  16. can — to be able to
  17. fine — high quality
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. can — a tin
  20. craft — boats
  21. chair — a leader
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. chair — a professorship

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