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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: craft · bore · trunk · pitch · content · rash · squash · rock

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. squash — to crush
  3. pitch — completely
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rash — hasty
  10. rock — a stone
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. bore — to drill
  13. bore — to tire
  14. rash — a series
  15. content — happy
  16. content — videos and posts
  17. rock — music
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. squash — the sport
  20. craft — boats
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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