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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. object — to protest
  4. pop — soda
  5. craft — boats
  6. deal — to handle
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. object — an aim
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. craft — a skill
  12. row — a line
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. row — to paddle
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. pop — to visit
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. object — a thing
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. pop — music
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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