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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 · lean · board · charge · prune · squash · arm · toast

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. squash — the sport
  3. lean — to rest against
  4. lean — to bend
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. toast — bread
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. board — a committee
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — boats
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. board — to get on
  17. charge — electricity
  18. squash — to crush
  19. lean — thin
  20. prune — to trim
  21. prune — to trim
  22. charge — a price
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. charge — in control

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