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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 120 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. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bulb — for light
  7. craft — boats
  8. deal — to handle
  9. content — happy
  10. bulb — for light
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bulb — of a plant
  13. board — to get on
  14. tube — a container
  15. tube — the underground
  16. sharp — clever
  17. game — a kind of play
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. board — a committee
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. content — the amount
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a match

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