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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. mark — a grade
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. ground — crushed
  7. mark — a trace
  8. ground — the earth
  9. suit — clothes
  10. ground — a position
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. craft — a skill
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bat — the animal
  16. suit — to fit
  17. deal — to handle
  18. suit — in cards
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. deal — an agreement

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