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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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. toast — bread
  3. file — a document
  4. file — a tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. craft — a skill
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. charge — electricity
  12. root — of a word
  13. ground — a position
  14. root — of a plant
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. file — a line of people
  17. ground — the earth
  18. charge — a price
  19. root — the cause
  20. ground — crushed
  21. deal — to handle
  22. charge — in control
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. toast — the most admired

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