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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 assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. fine — all right
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. wind — moving air
  5. rest — what's left
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. kick — in football
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. rest — a break
  12. craft — boats
  13. plane — in geometry
  14. craft — a skill
  15. squash — the sport
  16. deal — to handle
  17. rest — what's left
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. wind — moving air
  21. fine — high quality
  22. squash — to crush
  23. plane — a tool
  24. kick — a thrill

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