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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: kick · rash · squash · craft · coach · leaves · date · fine

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  22. Don't do anything ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. fine — high quality
  3. squash — the sport
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. craft — a skill
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. fine — all right
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. craft — boats
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rash — a series
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. squash — to crush
  21. kick — in football
  22. rash — hasty
  23. date — the fruit
  24. squash — the vegetable

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