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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.

Make a worksheet

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: pit · stock · lie · rash · squash · craft · perch · saw

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. squash — the sport
  3. saw — the tool
  4. craft — boats
  5. stock — goods
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. saw — the tool
  8. rash — hasty
  9. pit — a hole
  10. stock — shares
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. perch — the fish
  13. pit — in a race
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. rash — a series
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. craft — a skill
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. squash — to crush
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. lie — to recline

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