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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 120 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: wound · can · court · squash · lash · craft · bear · foot

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  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. bear — to put up with
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. can — to be able to
  5. squash — to crush
  6. court — for sport
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — an injury
  10. foot — a measure
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. court — of a king
  13. court — of law
  14. bear — the animal
  15. craft — boats
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bear — the animal
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — a tin
  21. squash — the sport
  22. craft — a skill
  23. lash — to lash out
  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