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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.

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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: snap · squash · firm · season · branch · craft · ruler · bore

  1. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. snap — to click
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. season — in sport
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. squash — to crush
  9. craft — boats
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. squash — the sport
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. firm — decided
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. bore — to tire
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. firm — steady
  21. firm — a company
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. branch — a division
  24. bore — to drill

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