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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: suit · sharp · mate · lash · prune · craft · drill · last

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. sharp — clever
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. suit — in cards
  6. craft — boats
  7. prune — to trim
  8. mate — a partner
  9. drill — the tool
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. suit — clothes
  12. last — to go on
  13. prune — the fruit
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. mate — a friend
  16. suit — to fit
  17. last — finally
  18. drill — army training
  19. drill — a practice
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. craft — a skill
  22. prune — to trim
  23. last — final
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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