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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: kid · rush · pass · squash · pitcher · craft · lie · stem

  1. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — to recline
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. kid — to tease
  5. craft — a skill
  6. squash — to crush
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. kid — child
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pass — a permit
  20. stem — to come from
  21. craft — boats
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — the sport
  24. pass — to spend time

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