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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.

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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  24. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. fall — the season
  4. craft — boats
  5. club — a group
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. squash — the sport
  8. deal — to handle
  9. fall — to drop
  10. hand — help
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. club — for dancing
  13. hand — in cards
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. rash — a series
  16. club — for golf
  17. squash — to crush
  18. rash — hasty
  19. fall — to drop
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. craft — a skill
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. deal — a big deal
  24. calf — a young animal

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