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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: rash · object · last · craft · fall · row · pitcher · squash

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. row — to paddle
  6. squash — to crush
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. last — to go on
  10. craft — boats
  11. object — an aim
  12. object — to protest
  13. fall — to drop
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. object — a thing
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. last — finally
  18. rash — hasty
  19. last — final
  20. squash — the sport
  21. fall — the season
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. row — a line

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