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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 120 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — on the skin
  2. kick — in football
  3. deal — to handle
  4. saw — the tool
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. craft — a skill
  7. spell — letters
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. saw — the tool
  14. can — to be able to
  15. can — a tin
  16. craft — boats
  17. rash — hasty
  18. foot — a measure
  19. can — a tin
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. rash — a series
  23. spell — magic
  24. spell — a short 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