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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: lash · craft · present · bass · ball · squash · nail · scale

  1. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. craft — boats
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. present — there
  5. present — the time now
  6. bass — low music
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. scale — in music
  9. scale — size or range
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. ball — a dance
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. ball — a great time
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. bass — the fish
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. squash — the sport
  18. craft — a skill
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. present — a gift
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. squash — to crush
  24. craft — a handicraft

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