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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. toast — bread
  3. craft — a skill
  4. drill — a practice
  5. craft — boats
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bear — the animal
  8. mug — a face
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. deal — to handle
  11. drill — army training
  12. wound — past of 'wind'
  13. mug — a cup
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. charge — in control
  17. mug — to rob
  18. charge — a price
  19. wound — an injury
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. bear — the animal
  22. wound — an injury
  23. charge — electricity
  24. drill — the tool

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