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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 116 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. The water is too ________________.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — a big deal
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. cold — not warm
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. squash — to crush
  7. fine — high quality
  8. craft — a skill
  9. bulb — for light
  10. squash — the sport
  11. key — in music
  12. bulb — for light
  13. fine — all right
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. craft — boats
  18. cold — an illness
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. key — the most important part
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. deal — to handle
  24. cold — the Cold War

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